NEW  MISSIONARY  FIELD 


REPORT 


TO    THE 


FEMALE   MISSIONARY   SOCIETY 


FOR 


THE    POOR 

OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW-YORK,  AND  ITS  VICINITY 

AT    THEIR    QUARTERLY    PRAYER    MEETING, 
-MARCH,  1817. 


V 
BY  WARD  STAFFORD,  A.  Bf. 


t 


NEW -YORK: 

PRINTED    BY    J.    SEYMOUR,    49    JOHN-RTREFV 
1817. 


V  \  *  %* 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

It  seems  proper  to  apprise  the  reader,  that  only  a  part  of  the 
following  report  was  read  to  the  Society  at  their  quarterly  meet- 
ing. Most  of  what  was  omitted  on  that  occasion  is  enclosed  in 
brackets. 

An  apology  is  due  to  a  large  number  of  respectable  individuals, 
for  some  delay  in  complying  with  their  request  in  relation  to  the 
publication  of  this  report.  To  transcribe  it  for  the  press,  requir- 
ed more  time  than  the  writer  could  immediately  command,  with- 
out neglecting  other  important  duties. 


REPORT. 


In  compliance  with  the  wishes  of  the  Board  of  Managers  and 
others,  I  have  drawn  up,  and  shall  now  lay  before  you,  an  account 
of  my  labours,  accompanied  with  such  observations  as  the  nature 
and  the  importance  of  the  subject  seem  to  require. 

It  is  about  nine  months  since  I  first  engaged  in  the  service  of  the 
Society.  Having  had  some  previous  knowledge  of  the  state  of  the 
poor,  and  being  fully  persuaded,  that  hundreds  of  families  were 
destitute  of  the  Bible*,  as  well  as  of  all  other  means  of  religious  in- 
struction, I  determined  to  devote  a  considerable  part  of  my  time 
to  exploring  sections  of  the  city,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  further 
information  concerning  them,  of  distributing  Bibles  and  Tracts, 
and  of  promoting  their  spiritual  welfare  in  other  ways.  By  this 
means,  I  have  had  opportunity  to  address,  on  the  most  important 
subjects  of  religion,  thousands,  who  had  never  before  seen  a  minis- 
ter'within  their  dwellings,  and  many  of  whom  had  never  seen  one 
in  the  house  of  God. 

As  in  visiting  families  in  connexion,  it  was  impossible  not  to 
call  on  some  of  every  denomination,  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  ad- 
dress them  exclusively  on  those  great  truths  in  which  all  real 
Christians  are  supposed  to  agree  ;  such  as  the  necessity  of  a  change 
of  heart,  of  repentance,  of  an  interest  in  Christ ;  the  importance  of 
observing  the  sabbath,  of  setting  a  holy  example  before  their 
children,  and  of  training  them  up  in  the  fear  of  God. 

To  avoid  the  pain,  and  the  unhappy  influence  on  their  minds, 
of  inquiring  directly  whether  they  observed  the  sabbath,  I  have 
usually  asked  them  what  Church  they  attended.  If  it  appeared, 
that  they  belonged  to  any  denomination,  I  have  invariably  urged 
upon  them  the  necessity  of  being  real  Christians,  of  having  their 
hearts  right  in  the  sight  of  God,  reminding  them,  at  the  same  time, 
that  the  inquiry  at  the  day  of  judgment  would  not  be,  whether 
they  belonged  to  a  particular  sect,  but  whether  they  were  mem- 
bers of  the  "  household  of  faith."  Such  has  been  my  situation,  that 
it  has  appeared  to  be  my  duty  scrupulously  to  avoid  speaking 
against,  or  in  favour  of  any  denomination  of  Christians  whatever. 
Whenever  the  persons,  whom  I  have  visited,  have  ascertained  to 
what  denomination  I  belonged,  which  has  rarely  been  the  case, 
they  have  manifested  towards  me,  though  bearing  a  different  name, 
a  charity,  an  affection  which  has  been  as  gratifying,  as  it  has  been 
singular  and  unexpected. 

In  addition  to  distributing  Bibles,  I  have  distributed  several 
:housand  religions  Tracts.     Particular  pain's,  has   been  taken  to 


select  such  as  were  free  from  sectarian  views,  and  which  exhibited 
the  great  principles  of  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

It  was  early  discovered,  that  to  prosecute  the  mission  with  success, 
a  house  for  public  worship  would  be  indispensable.  The  Board 
of  Managers,  therefore,  determined  to  attempt  the  erection  of  a 
house,  which  should  be  free  and  open  to  all  who  were  disposed 
to  attend.  While  a  committee  of  gentlemen  were  requested  to 
select  a  suitable  place  for  the  building,  and  superintend  the  erec- 
tion of  it,  the  business  of  raising  the  necessary  funds  was  princi- 
pally intrusted  to  me.  A  subscription  was  opened  as  soon  as  the 
necessary  arrangements  could  be  made,  and  the  success  was  much 
greater  than  had,  on  the  whole,  been  expected.  After  some  pro- 
gress had  been  made,  it  was  thought  adviseable,  for  reasons  which 
I  will  not  occupy  your  time  to  mention,  to  postpone  further  solicita- 
tion. The  subject  has  recently  been  taken  up  again,  and  we  are 
warranted  in  the  assertion,  that  the  Christian  public  will  not  suffer 
this  undertaking  to  fail  of  success. 

Since  I  have  been  in  the  service  of  the  Society,  I  have  preached 
as  much  as  the  state  of  my  health  would  permit.  During  most  of 
the  time  I  have  preached  once  on  the  Sabbath  to  a  collection  of 
from  400  to  600  children  belonging  to  the  Sabbath  Schools.  They 
have  been  collected  for  this  purpose,  at  the  Free  School,  No.  2,  in 
Henry-street ;  a  part  of  the  city  to  which  my  attention  has  been 
more  particularly  directed.  Numbers  of  poor  people,  who  have 
not  been  accustomed  to  go  elsewhere  to  worship,  have  usually 
attended  at  this  place.  During  the  summer,  I  preached  at  the 
ship-yards  on  Manhattan  Island,  in  a  room  kindly  furnished  by 
the  Messrs.  Browns.  At  that  exercise,  it  is  believed,  there  were 
usually  about  300  present. 

It  was  impossible,  employed  as  I  was,  not  to  observe  a  large 
number  of  Seamen.  By  associating  with  them,  and  appointing 
some  evening  lectures  in  the  neighbourhood  of  their  lodgings,  it 
was  discovered,  that  they  were  deplorably  destitute  of  religious 
instruction,  and  that  it  would  be  easy  to  give  them  that  instruction, 
provided  proper  measures  were  adopted.  This  determined  me  to 
open  a  place  of  worship  for  them  as  soon  as  circumstances  would 
permit.  This  has  accordingly  been  done  since  the  last  quarterly 
meeting.  What  has  been  the  success  of  this  undertaking,  will  be 
made  known  in  a  subsequent  part  of  the  Report. 

The  sabbath  evening  lecture  which  was  opened  some  time  ago, 
1  have  recently  been  obliged  to  relinquish,  finding  it  impossible 
for  me  to  preach  three  times  on  the  sabbath,  without  materially 
injuring  my  health.  The  number  who  attended  that  exercise  was 
not  large,  but  evidently  owing  to  the  want  of  other  labour  in  the 
neighbourhood,  such  as  holding  evening  meetings,  visiting,  and 
preaching  from  house  to  house. 

In  addition  to  preaching  on  the  sabbath,  I  have  usually  had  se- 
veral lectures,  during  the  week,  at  private  houses  and  other  places. 
These  have  been  well  attended. 


No  small  part  of  my  time  has  been  occupied  in  visiting  the  sicl- 
and  dying,  in  attending  funerals,  and  visiting  Sabbath  Schools. 
When  I  have  attended  a  funeraJ,  I  have  usually  appointed,  at  the 
house  of  mourning,  an  evening  lecture,  as  soon  after  as  I  could  make  it- 
convenient. 

My  labours  have  been  of  such  a  nature,  that  their  effects  will 
remain  in  a  great  measure  unknown  till  the  great  day  of  account. 
It  is  enough  for  us  that  we  obey  the  command  of  God.  The  event 
we  may  safely  leave  with  him.  He  is,  however,  pleased  to  grant 
us  some  tokens  of  his  special  favour.  We  are  assured,  that  we 
have  not  laboured  altogether  in  vain. 

As  an  individual  and  as  a  Society  we  have  had  trials.  You  and 
I  have  felt  them.  Let  them,  however,  be  remembered  only  to  excite 
emotions  of  gratitude  to  Him  who  has  supported  us  under  them, 
and  caused  them,  as  we  believe,  to  work  for  our  best  good.  Let 
their  recollection  make  us  feel  more  deeply  our  dependence  on 
God,  and  our  need  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  direct  and  quicken  us 
in  all  our  duty.  Though  one  breach  after  another  should  be  made, 
though  one  difficulty  after  another  should  rise — let  us  persevere  in 
the  way  of  well-doing  ;  knowing,  that  "  we  shall  reap  in  due  season, 
if  we  faint  not."  As  it  respects  myself,  I  have  had  many  encourage- 
ments, among  which  it  is  my  duty  and  my  happiness  to  acknow- 
ledge the  uniform  kindness  and  support  of  the  Board  of  Managers, 
While  they  have  left  me  to  labour  in  the  manner  I  thought  best, 
they  have  given  me  all  the  counsel  and  aid  in  their  power.  It 
has  not  been  among  the  least  of  my  encouragements,  that  I  have 
laboured  under  the  immediate  inspection  of  the  members  of  the 
Society  and  other  Christian  friends,  who,  by  their  very  cheerful 
and  prompt  co-operation,  have  greatly  enlarged  my  sphere  of  use- 
fulness. I  am  happy  to  acknowledge,  a!so,  the  kindness  of  several 
gentlemen,  who  have  accompanied  me  when  visiting  in  certain  sec- 
tions of  the  city.  Among  this  number,  I  cannot  forbear  mentioning 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Mills,  who,  with  his  well-known  missionary  zeal, 
spent  several  weeks  in  labouring  among  the  destitute,  during  the 
last  summer. 

It  will  be  gratifying  to  you  to  learn,  that,  although  nothing  has 
been  published,  the  object  of  your  Society  has  attracted  the  notice 
of  Christians  in  other  places.  Since  its  establishment,  similar 
societies  have  been  formed  in  Philadelphia,  Charleston,  S.  C.  Bos- 
ton, and  Chailestown,  Mass.  and  probably,  before  this,  in  one  or 
two  other  sea-ports. 

Having  given  this  general  statement  respecting  my  labours,  some 
may  think  I  ought  to  be  silent.  But  as  a  considerable  part  of  my 
time  has  been  occupied  in  exploring  destitute  sections  of  the  city, 
as  a  new  missionary  field  has  opened  to  my  view,  I  shall  be  excus- 
ed if  I  vary  from  the  ordinary  form  of  such  reports,  and  attempt  to 
show  the  extent  and  situation  of  that  field  ;  to  point  out  some  of  the 
ways  in  which  it  is  to  be  cultivated  ;  and  to  state  some  of  the  rea- 
sons why  great  and  persevering  efforts  should  be  made. 


6 

When  we  consider,  that  our  large  cities  constitute  the  centre  of 
exertions  for  the  salvation  of  the  Heathen,  that  in  them  are  thou* 
sands  of  Christians,  by  whose  means  Bibles  and  Missionaries  are 
conveyed  to  every  part  of  the  world,  it  will  be  thought  almost  in- 
credible, that  in  the  midst  of  them  there  should  be  immense  multi- 
tudes who  are  entirely  destitute  of  religious  instruction,  and  of  all 
the  ordinary  means  of  grace.  That  such  is  the  state  of  many  of 
our  large  cities,  and  particularly  of  the  city  of  New-York,  the  fol- 
lowing facts  most  clearly  show. 

We  will  first  view  the  state  of  the  city  as  it  respects  a  preached 
gospel. 

If  we  allow  the  population  to  have  increased  in  the  same  pro- 
portion for  the  last  seven  years,  as  it  did  for  the  ten  years  preceding, 
it  will  now  exceed  125,000.  Several  gentlemen  have  given  it  as 
their  opinion,  that  the  average  increase  has  been  greater.  That 
we  may,  however,  be  sure  of  being  within  bounds,  we  will  esti- 
mate the  present  population  at   120,000. 

A  single  glance  at  the  manner  in  which  this  population  and 
the  churches  are  located,  will  show,  that  many  do  not  attend 
public  worship  on  the  sabbath.  While  almost  all  the  churches 
are  in  the  lower,  the  great  mass  of  the  people  are  in  the  upper 
part  of  the  city.  When  we  find,  that  in  the  upper  part  the  houses, 
which  are  comparatively  small,  contain  from  4  to  12  families  each, 
and  that  with  these  houses,  the  ground  is  almost  completely  cover- 
ed, we  cannot  doubt,  that  there  are  in  that  part  of  the  city  five 
times  as  many  people  on  an  area,  as  there  are  on  an  area  of  equal 
size  in  the  lower  part.  In  the  lower  part  of  the  city  on  an  area 
not  one  half  as  large  as  the  seventh  ward,  there  are  16  churches. 
In  the  seventh  ward,  containing  a  population  of  not  less  than 
12,000,  there  is  only  one.  Let  it  not  be  supposed,  that  there  are 
churches  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  The  adjacent  wards  are  far 
from  having  a  competent  supply.  In  the  fourth  ward,  containing 
about  13,000  inhabitants,  there  are  only  3  churches  In  the  sixth 
ward,  containing  about  14,000,  there  are  only  4  churches;  and 
the  same  number  with  about  the  same  population  in  the  tenth  ward. 
On  an  area  of  less  than  90  rods  square  in  the  seventh  ward,  it  is 
believed,  there  are  not  less  than  nine  thousand  souls. 

So  far  as  I  can  ascertain,  there  are  not  more  than  52  congrega- 
tions of  Christians  in  the  city  of  all  denominations.  There  may 
be  some  small  collections  of  persons,  who  worship  in  retired  places, 
that  are  not  included  in  this  estimate.  If  we  allow  one  minister 
to  a  congregation,  there  will  be  52  ministers  who  statedly  labour 
in  the  city.  As  some  of  the  congregations,  however,  have  more 
than  one  minister,  and  as  there  are  one  or  two  not  connected  with 
any  congregation,  we  will  suppose  the  number  of  ministers  to  be 
sixty.  Allowing  that  one  minister  ought  not  to  have  the  imme- 
diate charge  of  more  than  a  thousand  souls,  there  will  be  60,000 
people  destitute  of  the  stated  ministry  of  the  gospel,  or  of  proper 
religious  instruction.     That  there  may  be  one  minister  and  one 


church  t©  a  thousand  people,  there  must  be  60  additional  ministers,, 
and  68  new  churches. 

It  is  the  opinion  of  several  clergymen  and  others,  who  may  be 
supposed  qualified  to  judge  on  the  subject,  that  the  number  ot 
regular  worshippers  does  not,  on  an  average,  exceed  600  to  a 
church.  It  will  be  recollected,  that  while  a  few  of  the  churches 
are  large  and  well  filled,  there  are  many  which  are  small,  and  some 
of  them  but  partially  filled.  Allowing  600  to  a  church,  the  num- 
ber who  regularly  attend  public  worship,  will  be  31,200,  leaving 
about  89,000  who  do  not  attend.  A  considerable  number  must  be 
allowed  for  children,  invalids,  and  others  necessarily  detained. 

Will  it  be  said,  that  our  churches  are  sufficiently  capacious  to 
hold  a  much  larger  number  than  actually  attend?  This  we  readily 
admit.  But  it  does  not  in  the  least  alter  the  case  as  it  respects 
those  who  are  destitute  of  seats.  The  seats  in  the  Presbyterian 
and  in  most  of  the  other  churches  are  owned  or  hired  by  private  per- 
sons. One  pew  is  usually  alloted  to  one  family,  and  must,  there- 
fore, be  at  the  disposal  of  that  family,  though  but  a  small  part  of 
it  should  be  occupied  at  one  time.  In  most  of  our  churches,  there 
are  but  a  small  number  of  pews  which  are  free,  and  but  a  small 
number  of  the  others,  which  do  not  rent  so  high  as  effectually  t© 
exclude  the  poor. 

Lest  it  should  be  supposed,  that  although  these  people  do  not 
attend  public  worship,  they  are  attached  to  some  congregation, 
and  are,  therefore,  under  the  care  of  some  minister  of  the  gospel, 
we  will  endeavour  to  ascertain  how  many  belong  to  a  congregation. 
The  number  belonging  to  congregations  generally,  is  not  known. 
The  ministers,  however,  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  keep  an 
exact  account  of  the  number  of  families  and  individuals  belonging 
to  their  respective  charges,  and  report  them  to  the  Synod  at  their 
annual  meeting.  According  to  the  report  made  at  the  last  meeting 
of  the  Synod,  it  appears.,  that  the  average  number  of  souls  belonging 
to  four  of  the  congregations  in  that  connexion,  viz.  Garden-street,  the 
Middle  and  North  Churches,  and  the  Church  at  Greenwich,  is  806. 
Three  of  these  congregations  are  ranked  among  the  largest  in  the 
city,  and  the  other  by  no  means  among  the  smallest.  If  we  allow 
the  other  congregations  in  the  city  to  be  on  an  average  as  large  as 
these  four,  which  is  far  from  being  the  case,  there  will  be  41,912 
souls  under  the  care  of  some  spiritual  guide  or  minister  of  the  gos- 
pel ;  leaving  78,088  destitute,  or  who  are  not  attached  to  any  con- 
gregation or  denomination  of  Christians.  Some  doubtless  attend 
public  worship,  who  do  not  strictly  belong  to  any  congregation. 
But  the  number  of  such,  does  not  equal,  it  is  believed,  the  number 
who  nominally  belong  to  some  congregation,  but  absent  themselves 
from  the  house  of  God.  The  size  of  our  congregations  is  greatly 
increased  by  strangers,  of  whom  there  is  always  a  considerable 
number  in  the  city,  and  who  usually  attend  public  worship.  The 
whole  number  of  families  belonging  to  the  four  congregations  above 
named,  is  604,  and  the  whole  number  of  souls  3,225.     Allowing 


8 

the  same  number  to  a  family,  throughout  the  city,  as  is  found 
by  calculation  to  belong  to  these  families,  there  will  be  about 
22,600.  The  average  number  of  families  belonging  to  the3e  four 
congregations  is  151.  Supposing  all  the  congregations  in  the  city 
to  have  the  same  number,  there  will  be  7.852  families  attached  to 
the  different  congregations  ;  leaving  14,796  families  which  are  not 
attached  to  any  congregation,  and,  of  course,  not  under  the  imme- 
diate care  of  any  spiritual  guide*. 

To  the  class  who  do  not  attend  public  worship,  we  must  add 
almost  all  our  Seamen,  of  whom  there  are  in  the  city  several  thou- 
sands every  Sabbath  in  the  year.  In  1815,  the  port  of  New- 
York  owned  278,868  tons  of  shipping.  Allowing  the  same  num- 
ber of  men  to  a  100  tons,  as  is  allowed  in  England,  there  were 
about  14,000  seamen  employed  by  this  port.  Several  gentlemen 
have  given  it  as  their  opinion,  that  there  are  constantly  in  this  city 
not  less  than  six  or  seven  thousand.  No  documents  are  in  my  pos- 
session by  which  to  determine  how  many  Seamen  visit  the  city  dur- 
ing the  whole  year. 

Let  it  not  be  imagined,  that  New-York  is  more  destitute  of  the 
stated  ordinances  of  the  Gospel  than  other  cities,  or  that  Chris- 
tians here  are  more  inattentive  to  this  subject,  than  they  are  in 
other  parts  of  Christendom. 

The  town  of  Boston  contains,  it  is  supposed,  about  36,000  inha- 
bitants, and  only  23  churches,  and  at  the  present  time,  a  less  num- 
ber of  established  ministers  of  the  Gospel.  Allowing  one  house 
of  worship  to  a  thousand  people,  and  one  minister  to  a  house  of 
worship,  there  will  remain  13,900  destitute.  Allowing  800  to  a 
congregation,  there  will  be  about  18,000  destitute.  The  town  of 
Boston  is  but  about  two  thirds  as  well  supplied  with  houses  of 
public  worship  and  ministers,  as  the  rest  of  the  State  of  Massa- 
chusets. 

New  Haven,  containing,  it  is  supposed,  not  less  than  7.000  peo- 
ple, has  only  four  congregations  and  four  ministers,  independently 
of  the  College,  leaving  3,000  destitute.  In  the  State  of  Connecti- 
cut, there  is  one  minister  to  a  thousand  people  :  In  New  Haven 
there  is  one  minister  to  1,750.  Hartford  is  in  nearly  the  same 
condition. 

*  We  have  ascertained  from  personal  inquiry  in  different  parts  of  the  city, 
that  the  proportionate  number,  who  do  not  belong  to  any  congregation,  is  con- 
siderably larger  than  this  estimate  supposes. 

It  has  been  estimated,  that  in  the  whole  State  of  New- York  there  are 
500,000  people  destitute  of  the  stated  ordinances  of  the  Gospel,  or  about  one 
half  of  the  whole  population,  allowing  one  minister  to  a  thousand  people. 
Ministers  who  had  not  been  regularly  educated  were  not  included  in  that  esti- 
mate. In  the  present  estimate,  all  of  every  denomination  are  included.  It  is 
supposed  that  there  are  nearly  200  organized  congregations  in  which  minis- 
ters might  probably  be  settled.  According  to  this  estimate,  the  city  is  not  so 
well  supplied  with  religious  teachers  as  the  rest  of  the  state,  a  great  part 
ef  which  is  considered  missionary  ground ;  and  there  are  not  two  thirds  as 
many  organized  congregations  in  proportion  to  the  populatioa> 


9 

As  we  go  south  of  New-York,  we  find  populous  places  in  no 
better  condition. 

In  Phi:ade:phia  and  its  suburbs,  there  were  in  1810,  35  churches, 
and  92,000  people,  leaving  57,000  destitute.  At  the  present  time, 
the  population,  it  is  believed,  exceeds  120,n(X)  According  to 
information  recently  obtained,  there  are  42  churches.  If  we  al- 
low one  minister  to  a  thousand  people,  there  are  nearly  80,000 
^destitute. 

Baltimore,  with  a  population  of  55  or  60,'000,  has  23  churches, 
leaving  between  30  and  40,000  destitute. 

Washington,  in  J  8 10,  contained  8,208  inhabitants,  and  four 
churches,  leaving  more  than  one  half  unsupplied,  without  taking 
into  the  account  the  increase  of  population,  during  the  session  of 
Congress. 

Newbern,  with  a  population  of  2,467  in  1800,  has  but  one  church 
at  the  present  time. 

Richmond,  in  1810,  with  9,735  inhabitants, had  only  one  church. 
Charleston,  S.  C.  had  in  1810,   15  churches  and  24,71 1  inhabit- 
ants, leaving  about  10,000  destitute. 

The  moral  state  of  Savannah  appears  to  be  somewhat  better 
than  that  of  any  of  the  places  mentioned,  above.  In  1810,  it 
contained  5215  inhabitants  and  six  churches. 

New-Orleans,  containing,  according  to  Messrs.  Mills  and  Smith's 
report,  30,000  inhabitants,  has  but  a  single  Protestant  minister. 

Most  other  populous  places,  it  will  be  found  from  examination, 
are  more  destitute  than  the  surrounding  country. 

If  we  cross  the  Atlantic  and  view  the  cities  in  Great  Britain,  and 
other  parts  of  Christendom,  we  shall  find  them  in  a  similar  state, 
as  it  respects  the  preaching  of  the  gospeL  Even  in  London,  from 
which  so  many  thousand  Bibles,  and  so  many  missionaries  have 
been  sent  to  all  parts  of  the  world  ;  where  are  men  who  have  wept 
and  prayed  over  the  heathen,  and  over  the  destitute  in  their  own 
land,  and  who  have  made  vigorous  and  successful  efforts  for  their 
salvation,  there  are  many  thousands  destitute  of  the  stated  ministry 
of  the  gospel.  The  population  of  London  in  1811,  was  1,039,000, 
and  at  the  present  time  is  not  less  than  1,150,000.  The  number 
of  houses  of  worship,  of  all  descriptions,  in  1811,  was  407.  If  we 
allow  one  minister  to  a  place  of  worship,  and  one  place  of 
worship  to  a  thousand  people,  there  were  in  London,  in  1811. 
632,000  people  destitute  of  proper  religious  instruction ;  or, 
it  required  632  additional  ministers,  and  the  same  number  of 
churches,  that  there  might  be  one  minister  and  one  church  to  a 
thousand  people*.  When  we  consider  the  increase  of  population, 
and  the  fact,  that  many  of  the  churches  are  very  small,  we  believe 
we  shall  not  exceed   the   truth,   when   we   say,  that  there  are  in 

*  It  has  been  ascertained  by  a  Committee  appointed  Cor  the  purpose  by  (lie: 
House  of  Commons,  that  there  are  now  in  London,  notwithstanding  the  estab- 
lishment of  Sunday  and  other  schools,  between  88  ■      *'•('  K)  imedHCatod  chit 
irec . 

B 


10 

London  between  700,000  and  800,000  30uls  destitute  of  a  preacheit 
gospel. 

Liverpool  contains  in  the  winter  110,000,  and  in  the  summer 
130,000  souls,  and  not  over  3.i  churches,  leaving,  during  a  part 
of  the   year,  75,000,  and  during   the  other  part,  95,000  destitute. 

It  will  be  found  from  examination,  that  most  other  cities  in 
Great  Britain  and  on  the  Continent,  are  in  no  better,  while  many 
of  them  are  in  a  much  worse,  condition. 

Such  is  the  state  of  this  and  other  large  cities,  with  respect  to  a 
preached  gospel. 

It  may  be  thought,  however,  that,  as  these  people  who  neglect 
to  attend  public  worship,  live  in  the  midst  of  Christians,  ministers, 
and  churches,  they  are  in  a  condition  very  different  from  that  of 
the  inhabitants  of  remote  parts  of  the  country,  where  they  are 
necessarily  excluded  from  Christian  society  and  all  the  ordinances 
of  the  gospel;  that  if  they  do  not  hear  the  gospel  preached,  they 
at  least  have  the  Bible  in  their  houses,  are  enlightened  by  human 
knowledge,  and  are  free  from  gross  immoralities.  This  compar- 
atively delightful  hope,  we  are  not  permitted  to  indulge. 

The  simple  fact,  that  people  do  not  attend  public  worship  when 
circumstances  will  permit,  is  conclusive  evidence,  that  they  do 
not  possess  the  Bible,  or  do  not  peruse  it  in  a  profitable  manner. 
Of  the  truth  of  this  declaration,  those  who  have  attended  our  quar- 
terly and  other  meetings,  will  not  doubt.  Lest  the  subject  should 
be  forgotten,  however,  or  lest  there  should  be  those  who  believe, 
as  most  Christians  among  us  did  a  year  ago,  that  there  are  no 
families  in  this  city  destitute  of  the  Bible,  a  few  facts  will  be 
repeated   in  this  place. 

Within  a  few  months,  I  have  distributed  from  600  to  700  Bibles. 
Most  of  these  Bibles  have  been  given,  not  to  destitute  individuals, 
but  families.  It  is  presumed,  that  these  are  but  a  small  portion  of 
the  Bibles  which  have  been  distributed  in  the  city  during  that 
time.  The  Female  Bible  Society,  which  was  formed  the  last 
spring,  has  directed  its  attention  almost  exclusively  to  the  destitute 
in  this  city.     But  to  be  more  particular : — 

It  has  been  ascertained,  by  personal  examination,  that  in  one 
section  of  the  city,  out  of  20  families  adjoining  each  other,  16  were 
destitute  of  the  Bible;  in  another,  out  of  115  families,  adjoin- 
ing each  other,  70  were  destitute  ;  in  another,  out  of  32,  21 
xvere  destitute  ;  in  another,  out  of  30,  27  were  destitute.  Were 
it  necessary,  we  might  extend  this  enumeration  through  many 
pages.  Taking  the  accounts,  however,  of  the  different  sections 
which  have  been  examined,  or  of  the  seventh  ward,  and  parts 
of  the  fourth,  sixth,  and  tenth  wards,  it  appears,  that  not  less 
than  one-third,  and  probably  not  less  than  one-half,  of  the  fami- 
lies are  now  destitute  of  the  Bible,  notwithstanding  the  hundreds 
which  have,  within  a  short  time,  been  distributed. 

Families,  which  are  destitute  of  the  Bible,  cannot  be  supposed 


11 

to  possess  other  books  of  a  religious  nature,  or  to  have  gained  much 
religious  knowledge  from  any  other  source.  Accordingly  we  have 
found  the  people  deplorably  ignorant  as  it  respects  the  subject  of 
religion.  It  is  impossible,  however,  to  enter  into  a  particular  de- 
scription of  their  character — a  few  prominent  facts  must  serve  as  a 
general  index. 

Since  the  establishment  of  Sabbath  Schools,  there  have  been  ad- 
mitted to  them  between  five  and  six  thousand  adults  and  chil- 
dren, most  of  whom  were  not  only  unable  to  read,  but  ignor- 
ant of  the  first  principles  of  natural  and  revealed  religion.  A 
short  time  since,  a  girl  15  years  of  age,  a  native  of  the  city,  came 
to  one  of  the  Sabbath  Schools,  who  had  never  been  within  a 
church,  had  never  heard  of  a  Bible  or  a  Saviour,  knew  not  that 
she  had  a  soul,  and  supposed  that  when  she  died  it  would  be  the 
end  of  her  existence.  This  was  not  a  person  of  colour.  Happy 
would  it  be  if  this  were  a  solitary  instance  of  heathenism  in  a 
Christian  country,  in  an  enlightened  and  highly  privileged  city ! 
But  there  are  not  only  multitudes  of  children  and  youth  in  a  simi- 
lar condition,  but  large  numbers  of  people  who  have  arrived  to 
middle,  and  some  even  to  old  age,  in  a  condition  but  little  better. 
There  came  to  one  of  the  schools  a  few  Sabbaths  ago  a  woman  of 
30  years  of  age,  who  was  ignorant  that  she  had  a  soul !  Several 
other  cases  of  a  similar  nature  have  recently  been  found. 

The  people  of  colour,  it  is  known,  have  been  greatly  neglected, 
and  generally  suffered  to  grow  up  in  the  most  absolute  ignorance 
of  religion.  Let  it  not  be  supposed,  however,  that  all,  who  are 
thus  ignorant,  are  either  people  of  colour  or  foreigners  :  no 
small  proportion  of  them  are  white  people,  who  were  born  and 
have  lived  all  their  days  in  the  city.  It  is  the  opinion  of  those 
who  are  best  acquainted  with  the  moral  state  of  the  city,  that  not 
one-fourth  part  of  the  adults  and  children  who  need  to  be  instruct- 
ed in  Sabbath  Schools  have  yet  been  collected. 

Would  the  limits  of  this  Report  permit,  a  multitude  of  facts 
might  be  stated  of  the  same  general  nature.  One  more,  however, 
as  a  proof  of  the  superstition,  as  well  as  ignorance  of  many  of  the 
people,  must  suffice.  Hundreds  of  families  attempt  to  exclude,  it 
is  presumed,  evil  spirits  from  their  dwellings,  by  the  ridiculous 
means  of  nailing  horse-shoes  at  the  bottom  of  their  doors.  Any 
one  who  walks  the  streets  in  certain  parts  of  the  city  may  notice 
them,  though  they  are  more  generally  concealed  from  public. 
view. 

What  must  be  the  state  of  a  people  who  imagine  that  evil 
spirits  may  be  bribed  or  frightened  in  this  frivolous  manner  l 
What  the  state  of  a  people,  where  persons  may  live  twenty, 
or  thirty,  or  forty  yeats,  without  being  conscious  that  they  have 
souls  to  be  saved  or  lost ;  witbout  having  any  idea  of  a  Redeemer, 
or  of  a  future  state  ?     Stately  of  some  parts  of  the  city  it  may  with 


12 

truth  be  said,  "  darkness  covers  the  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the 
people.'' 

We  are  not  permitted  to  stop  here  :  the  same  reasons  which  im- 
pelled to  further  examination,  impel  to  a  further  disclosure.  Ig- 
norance is  not  the  mother  of  devotion  :  we  have  passed  the  threshold, 
and  instead  of  finding  a  habitation  whose  neatness,  elegance  and 
beauty  were  concealed,  we  have  found  it  a  *'  whited  sepulchre 
full  of  dead  mens"  bones  and  all  uncleanness  ;"  instead  of  the 
mist  which  conceals  the  most  splendid  cities  from  the  view  of 
the  distant  beholder,  and  which  becomes  transparent  as  he  ap- 
proaches, we  have  found  the  obscurity,  which  we  beheld  at  a 
distance,  the  cloud  that  issues  from  the  bottomless  pit.  This 
colouring  may  be  thought  .f  too  deep  a  hue  :  let  us  proceed  ta 
the  exhibition  of  facts,  which  will  speak  and  paint  for  them- 
selves. 

A  great  proportion  of  the  people  are  crowded  together,  as  we 
have  seen,  from  four  to  twelve  families  in  a  house,  often  two- 
or  three  in  a  room,  and  those  of  all  colours ;  are  deplorably 
ignorant  and  destitute  of  all  the  means  of  grace,.and  consequently  are 
not  under  the  restsaining  influence  of  religion.  Such  is  the  natu- 
ral corruption  of  the  human  heart,  such  the  ease  with  which  the 
Tile  passions  are  kindled  into  a  flame,  and  the  whole  course  of 
nature  set  on  fire  of  hell,  that  the  simple  fact,  that  people  live  to- 
gether in  the  manner  described,  and  without  the  restraints  of  reli- 
gion, is  strong  evidence  that  they  are  immoral.  But  we  have 
other  evidence  of  this  painful,  this  humiliating  truth  ;  a  mass  of 
evidence,  but  a  small  portion  of  which  can  be  exhibited  in  this 
place. 

Among  the  vices  which  are  most  prevalent,  which  have  the 
most  pernicious  influence  on  society,  and  which  are  most  effectual 
in  destroying  the  souls  of  men,  i&  that  at  which  we  have  already 
hinted,  the  profanation  of  tite  sabbath. 

By  that  great  body  of  people  who  do  not  attend  public  wor- 
ship, the  Sabbath  is  wholly  disregarded,  or  rather  it  is  observed 
as  a  day  of  recreation,  of  idleness  and  drunkenness.  In  some 
parts  of  the  city  it  is  impossible  for  christians  to  go  from  the  closet 
and  the  family  altar  to  the  house  of  God,  without  being  discom- 
posed and  pained  by  the  sight  of  multitudes  of  the  high  and  the 
low,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  lounging  in  their  windows  or  about 
their  houses,  strolling  the  streets  and  passing,  when  the  season 
will  permit,  into  the  adjacent  country.* 

But  we  must  confine  our  attention  more  particularly  to  that  class 
of  people,  whose  poverty  is  exceeded  only  by  their  vices.     Many 

•  It  is  estimated  by  those  who  live  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  place. 
that  2  or  3000  frequently  pass  on  the  Sabbath  »ver  the  ferry  at  CorlaerV 
Hook,  to  Lontc- Island. 


13 

of  them  during  the  week  are  scattered  throughout  the  city,  and  tc 
some  extent  are  employed  in  various  kinds  of  business.  On  the 
Sabbath  they  are  at  home,  and  have  nothing  to  do.  While  others 
are  assembling  for  public  worship,  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  to 
find  them  at  breakfast  or  in  bed.  On  the  c  abbath  they  calculate 
to  have  better  food  and  more  liquor  than  on  other  days ;  to  asso- 
ciate together,  and  to  make  of  this  blessed  day,  which  to  the  chris- 
tian is  better  than  a  thousand,  a  day  of  mirth  and  rioting,  it  is 
easier  to  conceive  than  to  describe  the  scene,  which  people  of  such 
a  character,  and  in  such  circumstances,  must  exhibit. 

Happy  would  it  be  for  society  were  this  iniquity  concealed  from 
public  view.  This,  however,  is  not  the  case.  As  I  was  the 
last  summer  going  to  a  place  of  worship  on  Sabbath  morning,  I 
observed  a  lar^e  number  of  tippling  and  fruit  shops  which  were 
open  ;  I  began  to  count  them,  and  in  passing  a  short  distance 
counted  twenty-six.  In  most,  if  not  all  of  them,  ardent  spirits 
were  kept  for  sale,  and  in  many  of  them  persons  were  assembled. 

This  is  a  specimen  of  what  has  often  been  seen,  and  what  we 
fear  will  often  be  seen  again.  Who  that  has  frequently  walked 
the  streets  in  certain  sections  of  the  city  on  the  Sabbath,  has  not 
seen  persons  intoxicated  even  in  the  early  part  of  the  day  ?  To- 
ward the  close  of  the  day,  those  houses  which  are  filled  with  this 
class  of  people  become  too  narrow  to  contain  them.  In  certain 
streets  hundreds  have  often  been  seen  engaged  in  various  kinds  of 
iniquity. 

Intemperance  is  another  vice  which  is  making  havoc  of  the  best 
interests  of  society,  and  of  the  present  and  eternal  welfare  of  thou- 
sands. Intemperance,  with  its  attendant  vices,  is  the  principal 
cause  of  that  suffering,  which  has  recently  called  forth  the  benevo- 
lent exertions  of  many  of  the  citizens.  We  are  perfectly  astonish- 
ed at  the  immense  number  of  licensed  tippling  shops  in  this  city- 
It  appears  from  a  particular  examination  of  the  Records,  that  there 
are  1489  persons  licensed  to  sell  ardent  spirits  by  the  small  quan- 
tity. In  the  Seventh  Ward,  where  the  greater  proportion  of  the 
people  are  poor  beyond  description,  there  are  between  2  and  300. 
Though  there  are  a  few  respectable,  and  some  pious  grocers,  it  ic 
known  that  most  of  those  who  retail  ardent  spirits  are  of  the  low- 
est and  most  vicious  character.  We  are  no  longer  surprised  that 
whole  families,  and  whole  neighbourhoods,  are  reduced  to  beg- 
gary, wretchedness,  and  death. 

[But  there  is  another  vice  intimately  connected  with  this,  whose 
influence  is  still  worse  ;  a  vice  which  completely  disarms  con- 
science of  its  sting,  withers  every  generous  feeling,  and  prostrates 
to  the  level  of  the  brute  the  whole  moral  man  :  a  vice  which  opens 
the  flood-gates  of  all  iniquity,  and  which  has  been  a  deeper  source 
of  corruption  in  our  cities  than  any  other  single  vice,  I  had  almost 
-aid  than  all  other  vices  together.     It  h  not  that  we  expect  to  res 


14 

cue  from  present  infamy  and  wretchedness,  and  from  future  and 
everlasting  destruction,  a  few  abandoned  creatures,  that  we  sub- 
mit to  the  pain  of  alluding  to  this  subject.  We  do  it,  that  we  may 
give  a  faithful  representation  of  the  moral  condition  of  the  more 
destitute  parts  of  the  city  ;  that,  by  exposing  iniquity,  we  may 
stop  its  progress  ;  and,  especially,  that  we  may  prevent  the  rising 
generation  from  going  in  that  way  which  leads  "  down  to  the 
chambers  of  death."  It  is  a  vice  universally  accompanied  by  a 
train  of  others  more  or  less  destructive,  and  when  so  openly  prac- 
tised as  to  leave  no  doubt  of  its  existence,  exerts  an  influence  on 
the  minds  of  those  who  are  not  immediately  concerned,  and  gives  a 
cast  to  society  which  is  little  suspected.  It  is  supposed  that  there 
are  in  the  city  not  less  than  6,0J0  abandoned  females.  In 
passing  a  distance  of  thirty  or  forty  rods,  not  less  than  twenty 
ball  rooms  have  been  counted,  in  which  were  assembled  hun- 
dreds of  this  class  of  people,  dancing  to  the  sound  of  the  viol.* 
That  these  people  should  assemble  together,  is  no  matter  of  asto- 
nishment ;  but  it  is  matter  of  astonishment  that  they  should  be  permit- 
ted to  do  it  in  this  open  manner,  six  nights  out  of  seven,  from  week  to 
week,  from  month  to  month,  from  year  to  year,  and  we  may  add, 
from  age  to  age.  It  is  known,  that  there  is  a  class  of  men  who 
keep  large  numbers  of  these  voluntary  slaves  for  purposes  of  cor- 
ruption and  gain.  They  do  not  hesitate  to  own  it,  and  speak  of  it 
with  the  most  unblushing  impudence.  They  are  conscious,  that 
all  who  are  acquainted  with  them  know  that  this  business  is  their 
only  means  of  support  and  of  acquiring  wealth. 

In  some  of  the  thickly  populated  parts  of  the  city,  there  are  a 
considerable  number  of  hacks,  which  are  known  to  be  employed 
for  no  other  purpose  than  that  of  transporting  these  miserable 
beings  from  one  haunt  of  vice  to  another.  Ten  or  twelve  have 
often  been  counted  standing  in  a  row,  where  they  are  forbidden  to 
stand  by  law,  and  where  on  almost  every  house  is  inscribed  in 
glaring  capitals  :  The  way  to  Hell !  And,  what  is  painful  to 
add,  numbers  of  these  hacks  are  thus  employed  on  the  Sabbath. 

It  ought  not  to  be  concealed  from  the  public,  that  many  of  these 
females  are  held  by  their  masters  in  the  most  abject  slavery,  and, 
to  keep  them  in  subjection,  are  at  times  scourged  in  the  most  cruel 
manner.  Some,  who,  when  wasting  with  the  consumption,  have 
fled  from  one  place  to  another,  where  they  supposed  they  should 
be  better  treated,  have  been  seized  by  violence  and  carried  back, 
and  kept,  by  their  old  masters,  till  approaching  death  had  destroyed 
all  hope  of  further  gain.  The  windows  of  at  least  one,  and  pro- 
bably of  many  more  of  these  slaughter-houses,  are  actually  grated 
with  bars  of  iron.  It  is  known,  also,  that  children,  some,  their  own 
illegitimate  offspring,  and  some,  obtained  by  various  arts  of  decep- 

*  The  ball  rooms  of  which  we  speak  are  often  fitted  up  in  an  expensive  style, 
and  universally  furnished  with  a  bar,  or  connected  with  a  dram-shop. 


15 

lion,  from  the  families  of  others,  are  trained  up  expressly  lor  this 
polluted  traffic,  and  engage  in  it  at  a  very  early  period  of  life. 
Some  of  this  description  have  been  found  whose  age  did  not  exceed 
eleven  years.] 

On  profanity,  lying,  theft,  gambling,  and  many  other  vices, 
which  are  prevalent  among  those  who  are  destitute  of  the  means 
of  grace,  we  cannot  dwell  on  the  present  occasion. 

We  have  time  to  mention  only  one  or  two  other  facts,  as  indica- 
tive of  the  general  state  of  morals.  A  respectable  Female  Associ- 
ation for  the  relief  of  the  sick  and  afflicted,  some  time  .ago,  resolved 
not  to  aid  those  who  lived  in  certain  streets,  supposing,  that  no 
person  of  decent  character  would  live  in  such  places,  and  that  it 
would  be  unsafe  for  females  to  visit  them. 

Since  I  have  been  employed  in  examining  parts  of  the  city,  the 
observation  has  been  made  to  me  times  almost  without  number: 
"We  presume  you  do  not  venture  to  go  alone."  The  caution 
has  been  a  seasonable  one.  But  what,  let  me  ask,  must  be  the 
state  of  society,  when  it  is  the  general  impression,  that  it  is  unsafe 
for  one  to  go  alone  for  the  purpose  of  distributing  Bibles  and 
Tracts ;  especially,  when  it  is  found  from  observation  and  expe- 
rience, that  the  impression  is  correct  ?  A  respectable  man,  not 
long  since,  who  was  distributing  Bibles,  was  attacked,  knocked 
down,  and  had  his  clothes  literally  torn  off,  and  was  so  beaten  as 
to  lose  considerable  blood  ;  and  such  was  the  state  of  society,  that, 
after  much  inquiry  and  consultation,  it  was  judged  inexpedient  to 
prosecute  for  this  outrageous  conduct,  lest  it  should  enrage  a  herd 
of  such  tigers,  who  would  otherwise  remain  quiet,  and  cause  them 
to  league  together,  the  more  effectually  to  oppose  these  benevo- 
lent exertions. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed,  that  all  who  reside  in  the  parts  of  the 
city  referred  to  are  thus  grossly  vicious.  There  are  some  who  are 
pious,  and.  who  preserve  the  rest  from  the  fate  of  Sodom  and  Go- 
morrah. There  are  many  industrious  people  of  good  morals,  who 
attend  public  worship.  There  are  others,  who,  though  feeling  no 
particular  interest  in  the  subject,  would  attend,  did  not  poverty  or 
other  circumstances  prevent.  There  is,  also,  a  large  class  who 
are  partially  corrupted,  or  are  prepared,  for  want  of  proper  reli- 
gious instruction,  to  receive  any  impressions  which  men  of  supe- 
rior cunning  and  wickedness  are  disposed  to  make.  All  these 
different  classes  of  people  live  together,  often  in  the  same  house, 
and  not  unfrequently  in  the  same  room.  We  have  sometimes  dis- 
covered, since  the  great  demand  for  houses,  virtuous  families  com- 
pelled to  live  in  places  where  they  have  blushed  to  be  seen. 

What  must  be  the  effect  of  witnessing  such  scenes  as  the  people 
in   those   parts  of  the  city  are,  from  their  very  situation,  com- 
pelled to   witness?     Crimes  which  are   committed  in    open   day 
without  the  disapprobation  of  the  better  part  of  the  cornmnity,  are 
readily  believed  to  be  of  no  very  aggravated  naturje.     Such  scenes. 


16 

hy  frequent  exhibition,  become  familiar,  and  are  witnessed  with- 
out those  feelings  of  horror  which  they  once  excited.  They  are 
soon  winked  at,  and  ultimately  approved.  It  is  surprising  to  see 
what  effect  this  exhibition  of  depravity  has  on  the  minds  even  of 
Christians.  What  would  once  make  them  sigh,  and  weep,  and 
pray,  can  now  be  seen  with  little  feeling,  with  almost  entire 
indifference.  If  such  is  the  effect  on  the  minds  of  Christians, 
what  must  it  be  on  the  minds  of  those  who  are  unrestrained  by 
the  grace  of  God  ?  What  must  be  the  effect  upon  the  rising  gene- 
ration ?  Let  it  be  remembered,  that  notwithstanding  all  that  has 
been  done,  there  are  multitudes  of  children  and  youth  whose  edu- 
cation is  entirely  neglected,  who  are  obliged  to  hear  from  the  lips 
of  their  parents  and  others,  the  most  horrid  oaths  and  blasphemies  : 
to  see  them,  under  the  influence  of  intoxicating  liquors,  and  their 
own  unhallowed  passions,  fight  and  abuse  each  other,  wallow  in 
their  own  pollution,  and  engage  in  other  wickedness  of  which  it  is 
unlawful  to  speak. 

To  our  inquiry  the  experience  of  the  world  furnishe3  an  answer. 
Considering  the  natural  character  of  the  human  heart,  we  hesitate 
not  to  assert,  that  it  is  impossible,  without  the  special  interposition 
of  God,  that  children  in  such  circumstances  should  not  grow  up  to 
imitate  the  examples  that  are  set  before  them,  to  become  pests  to 
society  and  heirs  of  perdition.  Accordingly  we  find  children 
practising  every  kind  of  iniquity  of  which  their  immature  faculties 
are  capable.  By  this  means  conscience  is  blunted  before  it  is 
half  formed;  all  sense  of  moral  obligation,  all  dread  of  sin,  all 
fear  of  God,  all  regard  to  the  best  interests  of  society,  and  their 
own  present  and  everlasting  welfare,  is  destroyed. 

Here,  then,  we  have  a  great  mass  of  people  almost  entirely  be- 
yond the  restraints  of  religion,  among  whom  are  interspersed 
thousands  who  are  grossly  vicious.  Multitudes  are  yet  uncontami- 
nated,  especially  of  the  rising  generation;  but  vice  isspreading 
like  a  contagion  ;  the  leaven  of  sin  is  extending  to  the  whole  mass, 
and,  if  unresisted,  will  reduce  the  whole  to  a  mass  of  corruption. 

Let  it  not  be  imagined,  that  the  picture  has  been  too  highly  co- 
loured :  1  have  barely  stated  a  few  facts — have  given  the  outlines 
of  a  picture,  which,  if  completed  and  held  up  to  our  view,  must 
cover  us  all  with  shame  and  confusion  of  face.  From  a  regard  to 
my  own  feelings,  and  the  feelings  of  others,  I  have  cast  a  veil 
over  many  scenes,  which  in  the  discharge  of  my  duty  I  have  been 
compelled  to  witness. 

Should  any  doubt  the  correctness  of  the  representation  which 
has  been  made,  let  me  remind  them,  that  these  people  are  not  in 
some  distant  part  of  the  world  to  which  they  can  have  no  access, 
but  in  the  city  in  which  we  dwell.  Let  me  request,  nay,  let  me 
urge  and  entreat  them  to  examine  for  themselves — to  go  out  and 
view  the  ravages  of  sin — to  pass  from  one  dark  corner  to  another, 
from  one  habitation  of  cruelty  to  another,  from  one  sink  of  polla- 


17 

tion  to  another,  till  their  ears  shall  be  deaf  with  blasphemies,  till 
their  eyes  shall  be  dim  with  scenes,  which  language  cannot  paint, 
till  their  hearts  bleed  and  die  within  them.  Could  christians  be 
persuaded  to  examine  for  themselves,  it  is  not  too  much  to  say, 
that  the  work  of  reformation  would  be  half  accomplished.  They 
would  inquire,  with  deep  concern,  what  must  be  done  to  stem  this 
flood  of  iniquity,  to  raise  the  character,  and  save  the  souls  of  so 
many  thousands  of  immortal  beings. 

It  may  be  thought  improper  by  some,  that  one  who  has  been  a 
labourer  in  the  vineyard  for  so  short  a  period,  should  attempt  to 
point  out  the  means  by  which  the  temporal  and  eternal  welfare  of 
these  people  is  to  be  promoted  ;  that  having  in  some  measure 
exhibited  their  wretched  moral  condition,  the  methods  of  relief 
should  be  left  to  age  and  experience.  This  course  would  be  more 
grateful  to  my  own  feelings,  and  would  be  pursued,  were  it  not 
often  remarked  by  persons  advanced  in  life,  and  even  by  divines, 
that  as  we  had  established  schools,  provided  bibles,  and  erected 
churches  and  opened  the  doors,  it  was  difficult  to  conceive  what 
more  could  be  done.  There  is  another  reason  also  why  I  ought 
not  to  be  silent  :  having  been  upon  the  ground,  and  examined  the 
state  of  the  inhabitants  ;  having  visited  and  conversed  with  hun- 
dreds of  families,  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  I  have  ad- 
vantages forjudging  on  this  subject  not  in  the  possession  of  others. 
The  hope  of  aiding  in  the  execution  of  the  measures  already 
adopted,  and  exciting  christians  to  the  adoption  of  others,  and  the 
pledge  which  I  have  given  to  some  of  the  virtuous  poor,  both  en- 
courage and  oblige  me  to  proceed  to  mention  some  of  the  ways 
in  which  the  moral  state  of  the  destitute  may  be  improved. 

1.  So  far  as  respects  that  class  of  people,  who  are  most  ignorant, 
whether  adults  or  children,  it  is  evident  that  they  must,  in  the 
first  place,  be  taught  to  read,  and  have  instilled  into  their  minds 
the  first  principles  of  religion.  This,  it  is  believed,  can  be  done 
in  no  way  so  effectually  as  by  the  establishment  and  support  of 
Sabbath  Schools. 

To  this  institution  some  pious  people,  from  the  best  of  motives, 
have  been  opposed.  As  there  are  free  schools  for  the  purpose  of 
instructing  the  children  of  the  poor,  it  is  supposed,  that  to  instruct 
them  on  the  Sabbath  is  an  unnecessary  profanation  of  that  holy 
day.  It  has,  however,  been  ascertained,  as  we  all  know,  that, 
notwithstanding  this  generous  provision,  there  are  hundreds  and 
thousands  of  poor  children  in  our  large  cities,  whose  education  is 
entirely  neglected.  It  will  be  asked,  perhaps,  whether  an  effort 
might  not  be  made  to  instruct  them  on  other  days  ?  We  believe 
that  the  efforts  made  at  present  are  small,  compared  with  what  they 
might  be,  and  we  hope  that  the  day  is  not  distant,  when  to  learn 
persons  to  read  on  the  Sabbath,  will  be  neither  a  work  of  neces- 
sity nor  mercy — that  period,  however,  has  not  yet  arrived.  Could 
these  children  be  collected   on   other  days,  where  should  wo  finri 

C 


10 

persona  to  instruct  them  ?  Most  of  those  who  instruct  children  on 
the  Sabbath  are  otherwise  employed  during  the  week.  Most  of 
the  children,  also,  who  are  of  a  sufficient  age,  are  employed  either 
as  servants  or  in  some  other  way,  so  that  they  could  not  be  col- 
lected. As  to  adults,  we  know  that  they  are  obliged  to  labour  for 
tbeirown  support,  or  the  support  of  their  families,  and  have, 
therefore,  no  time  but  the  Sabbath  to  receive  instruction.  Expe- 
rience has  abundantly  proved,  that  large  numbers  of  children  and 
adults,  if  not  instructed  on  the  Sabbath,  will  not  be  instructed  at 
all,  and  will  consequently  be  ignorant  and  generally  vicious. 

There  seems  to  have  been  some  misapprehension  as  to  the  man- 
tier  in  which  these  schools  are  conducted.  Many  appear  to  re- 
gard them  as  schools  of  mere  human  learning ;  whereas  the  great 
object  is  to  communicate  religious  instruction.  It  is  true  they  are 
taught  to  read,  but  it  is  to  read  the  Bible.  The  lessons  which 
are  used  are  selected  from  that  sacred  book.  The  Bible  is  read 
and  explained  to  them  ;  they  commit  portions  of  it  to  memory, 
together  with  religious  hymns  and  catechisms.  The  schools  are 
opened  and  closed  with  prayer,  or  some  other  religious  exercise. 
The  great  business  of  the  teachers,  who  are  generally  pious,  is  to 
instil,  in  various  ways,  into  the  minds  of  the  learners,  important 
religious  truths.  In  this  manner  they  spend  an  hour  or  two  pre- 
vious to  public  worship  in  the  morning  and  afternoon.  They  are 
then  conducted  in  order  to  the  house  of  God,  and  their  teachers 
see  that  they  behave  with  propriety  during  divine  service. 

By  means  of  this  institution,  multitudes  of  children,  and  others, 
who  would  be  strolling  about  the  streets,  or  spend  the  Sabbath 
in  other  ways  equally  injurious  to  themselves  and  to  society,  and 
offensive  to  God,  are  made  to  spend  it  in  a  most  profitable  manner  ; 
have  their  minds  enriched  with  the  treasures  of  divine  knowledge; 
are  placed  under  the  sound  of  the  gospel,  and,  though  neglected 
by  their  parents,  are,  to  some  extent,  trained  up  in  the  nurture 
and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  Time  will  not  permit  me,  were  it 
necessary,  to  point  out  all  the  advantages  to  the  teachers,  to  the 
scholars,  and  to  their  parents  and  connexions,  and  to  society  at 
large,  which  result  from  the  institution  of  Sabbath  Schools.  We 
will  only  add,  that  many  pious  people  who  have  been  opposed  to 
their  establishment,  have,  after  witnessing  their  operation,  become 
their  most  cordial  and  active  friends — that  it  is  an  institution 
which  God  has  owned,  by  granting  the  influences  of  his  Holy 
Spirit — that  by  it  thousands  have  been  rescued  from  poverty,  dis- 
grace and  wretchedness  in  this  world,  and  from  everlasting  de- 
struction in  the  world  to  come — have  been  made  useful  member.- 
of  society  and  of  the  church,  and  prepared  for  mansions  of  glory 
in  the  heavens. 

But  Sabbath  Schools,  however  excellent  and  important,  will 
not  of  themselves  accomplish  the  object  proposed.  They  are  of 
modern  invention  ■  they  are  not  the  gospel ;  and  we  believe  that  in 


19 

ihe  Millennium  they  will  be  unknown,  certainly  in  their  present 
form  We  believe,  that  they  are  among  the  means  which  are  to 
hasten  on  that  glorious  day,  that  they  now  exert  a  most  powerful 
and  salutary  influence.  But  by  being  unconnected  with  other 
means,  their  influence  is  half  destroyed.  In  the  Sunday  School 
Teacher's  Guide,  there  is  an  observation,  though  made  for  another 
purpose,  which  is  full  of  meaning,  and  exactly  in  point.  It  is  the 
following  :  "  A  few  hours  on  the  Sabbath,  with  respect  to  most  of 
them,  (the  scholars)  is  all  the  time,  during  which  through  tin- 
whole  week,  they  hear  or  see  any  thing  like  religion.''  Who 
does  not  see,  that  the  good  impressions  which  may  be  made  during 
these  few  hours,  must  be  almost  entirely  effaced  by  being  exposed., 
during  the  whole  week,  to  all  kinds  of  iniquity  ;  iniquity  prac- 
tised by  their  parents  and  others,  whom  they  are  taught  to  love 
and  obey.  Many  scholars  who  have  been  powerfully  affected  un- 
der the  plain  preaching  of  the  gospel  on  the  Sabbath,  and  have 
retired  from  the  school  room  in  tears.  I  have  found  the  next  day 
in  places  where  it  seemed  impossible  that  serious  thoughts  should 
not  be  almost  instantly  banished  from  the  mind.  Did  we  not 
know,  that  with  God  all  things  are  possible,  we  should  have  no 
hope  that  the  seeds  of  grace,  which  are  thus  sown,  would,  in  any 
instance,  spring  up  and  grow  and  bring  forth  fruit.  Let  it  not 
be  forgotten,  also,  that  many  of  the  scholars,  after  leaving  the 
school,  mingle  with  the  ignorant  and  vicious,  and  are  beyond  the 
reach  of  christian  influence.  We  take  them  and  conduct  them  a 
short  distance,  and  then  leave  them  to  wander.  We  know  the  de- 
pravity of  the  human  heart,  the  power  of  bad  example,  and  of 
the  great  adversary  of  souls  too  well,  not  to  believe,  that  most  of 
them  will  wander  in  the  by-paths  of  sin. 

It  is  asserted,  and  generally  believed,  "  that  the  most  effectual 
mode  of  approaching  the  parent  is  through  the  medium  of  the 
child."  That  many  parents  have  been  successfully  approached 
through  the  medium  of  the  child,  will  not  be  called  in  question. 
But  that  this  is  the  only  or  the  best  mode,  cannot  be  known  till 
others  have  been  tried.  Why,  let  me  ask,  cannot  we  approach 
them  in  other  ways  as  well  as  in  this  ?  Suppose  that  a  number 
of  christians  should  go  forth  to  the  destitute  parts  of  the  country 
and  setup  Sabbath  Schools — would  this  be  furnishing  the  inhabi- 
tants with  those  means  of  grace  which  God  has  appointed  for  their 
salvation?  Besides,  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  destitute  in 
this  city  are  not  within  the  reach  of  Sabbath  Schools — some  have 
no  children  to  send — some  will  not  send  them,  because  they  are 
too  proud,  or  too  indifferent,  or  for  some  other  reason.  There 
are  others,  whose  children  go  to  school  during  the  week,  and  do 
not,  therefore,  really  need  such  an  institution,  provided  they  are 
not  destitute  of  other  means  of  obtaining  religious  knowledge. 
There  is  also  a  numerous  class  of  boys  and  girls,  whose  age  and 
habits  forbid  n«  to  hope,  thai  they  will,  without  exertions  of  another 


20 

kind,  ever  become  members  of  such  schools.  On  the  whole, 
highly  as  we  think  of  this  institution,  we  must  reject  the  idea 
that  it  will  of  itself  accomplish  the  great  work  of  reformation, 
and  effect  the  salvation  of  these  perishing  thousands.  We  pro- 
ceed, therefore,  to  mention, 

2.  The  distribution  of  Bibles,  and  other  religious  publications. 
Upon  those  who  have  felt  the  sacred  influence  of  the  written  word  ; 
whose  hearts  have  burned  within  them,  while  perusing  the  inspired 
volume  ;  whose  tongues,  with  involuntary  rapture,  have  exclaimed, 
"  How  love  I  thy  law  !  It  is  my  meditation  day  and  night  ;  it 
is  more  precious  than  gold,  yea,  than  much  fine  gold  ;  it  is  sweeter 
to  the  taste  than  honey  and  the  honey-comb  ;"  upon  such  we  need 
not  urge  the  importance  of  distributing  the  Bible  to  those  indivi- 
duals and  families  that  are  destitute.  How  dark  must  be  that  habi- 
tation where  the  light  of  God's  word  does  not  shine  !  How  poor 
would  christians  feel  if  deprived  of  this  treasure  !  The  fact  that 
(he  destitute  do  not  feel  their  need  of  such  a  treasure,  does  not 
render  them  the  less  poor  without  it.  Equally  unnecessary  is  it 
to  urge  the  importance  of  distributing  the  Bible  upon  those  whose 
eyes  have  been  open  to  witness  its  influence  upon  the  minds  of 
men  of  every  condition  in  every  age.  Who  that  has  marked  its 
progress,  has  not  seen  ignorance  and  superstition,  vice  and  im- 
morality, universally  retiring  at  its  approach  ?  On  the  duty 
and  importance,  however,  of  putting  into  the  hands  of  the  desti- 
tute the  word  of  God,  we  need  not  enlarge.  Concerning  this  sub- 
ject, a  spirit  has  been  excited,  which,  it  is  believed,  will  not 
abate  till  every  man,  woman  and  child,  not  only  throughout  this 
city,  but  throughout  the  world,  shall  possess  this  best,  this  richest 
of  heaven's  gifts — a  fire  has  been  kindled,  whose  light  and  heat 
will  extend  throughout  this  valley  of  death. 

But  on  the  manner  in  which  those  who  are  destitute  are  to  be 
supplied,  it  may  be  well  to  make  one  or  two  remarks.  It  seems 
to  be  the  opinion  of  many,  that  if  bible  societies  are  formed,  bi- 
bles purchased  and"  deposited  at  some  suitable  place,  and  notice  of 
the  fact  given  in  the  public  papers,  nothing  further  is  necessary 
to  secure  their  universal  circulation.  But  if  we  stop  here,  the  work 
is  but  half  done.  Our  efforts  may,  indeed^  prove  the  existence  of 
christian  principles  in  our  own  hearts,  but  they  will  not  be  the 
means  of  producing  them,  to  any  great  extent,  in  the  hearts  of 
others. 

It  will  be  said,  that  if  people  will  not  take  the  trouble  to  walk 
a  short  distance  to  obtain  the  Bible,  it  will  be  of  no  use  for  them 
to  have  it — that  they  will  not  read  it,  if  put  into  their  hands — that 
we  cannot  compel  them  to  read,  and  to  become  religious.  To  such 
objections  and  remarks,  which  have  sometimes  been  made  even 
by  professing  christians,  I  answer,  First,  that  so  far  as  my 
knowledge  extends,  and  I  have  visited  hundreds  of  destitute  fami- 
lies, not  one-half  of  those  who  are  destitute,  and  who  wish  to  rc? 


21 

teive  the  Bible,  know  that  there  is  such  an  institution  as  the  Bible 
Society  in  the  world.  This  will  appear  strange  to  those  who  have 
Hot  examined  the  subject,  who  meet  reports  of  Bible  societies, 
and  find  Bibles  deposited  in  every  book-store  they  enter,  who  see 
notices  of  them  in  almost  every  newspaper  they  read.  But  con- 
sider the  character  of  these  people.  They  are  generally  ignorant 
and  poor,  they  rarely  if  ever  enter  a  book-store,  never  see  a  re- 
port, or  read  a  newspaper.  They  are  not  in  the  habit  of  reading 
any  thing  ;  most  of  them  are  entirely  separated  from  the  religious 
community,  and  know  little  more  what  that  community  is  doing 
for  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  than  the  inhabitants  of  Hindoostan. 

It  is  in  my  power  to  state,  that  hundreds  in  this  city  have  re- 
ceived the  Bible  with  emotions  of  joy  and  gratitude,  who  never 
heard  of  a  Bible  Society.  But  we  have  a  still  more  substantial 
answer  to  these  objections.  The  Bible  has  not  only  been  put 
into  the  hands  of  a  considerable  number  of  people  of  this  descrip- 
tion, but,  so  far  as  they  have  been  called  on  for  the  purpose  of  as- 
certaining what  use  they  have  made  of  it,  it  has  been  discovered 
that  they  have  preserved  it  with  the  most  sacred  care  ;  that  they 
have  read  it,  and  that  it  has  been  productive  of  the  most  happy 
effects.     We  have  time  to  mention  only  one  or  two  cases. 

A  poor  labouring  man  was  called  on  about  five  weeks  after  a 
Bible  had  been  given  him,  and  was  found  to  have  read  it  through 
once,  and  commenced  reading  it  a  second  time.  His  wife  in- 
formed, that  he  had  frequently  set  up  to  read  till  12  and  1  o'clock 
at  night,  and  that,  since  he  had  been  reading  it,  he  had  generally 
accompanied  her  to  church.  From  questions  which  were  asked 
him,  it  was  evident,  that  he  had  read  it  with  great  care,  and  that 
it  had  made  a  deep  impression  on  his  mind.  He  observed,  that 
he  found  in  that  book  what  he  never  knew  before — he  found  that 
he  was  a  sinner.  He  was  left  in  tears.  What  the  event  will  be 
in  this  and  other  cases,  where  the  Bible  has  been  given,  and  made 
similar  impressions,  is  known  only  to  God. 

A  Bible  was  given  to  a  poor  woman,  soon  after  she  was  con- 
fined with  a  consumption,  and  who  had  never  learned  to  read.  It 
was  read  to  her  daily.  Her  mind  soon  became  deeply  impressed, 
her  sins  appeared  too  great  to  be  forgiven — her  heart  was  broken*— 
she  believed  in  Jesus — she  died  in  triumph.  A  friend,  who  wit- 
nessed her  distress  of  mind,  was  awakened  by  it,  and  now  gives 
satisfactory  evidence  of  being  "  a  new  creature." 

Suppose  that  some  will  make  either  no  use  at  all,  or  a  bad  use 
of  the  Bibles  which  are  given  them — shall  this  prevent  the  distri- 
bution 1  Who  will  venture  to  assert,  that  Bibles  ought  not  to  be 
given  to  such  people,  provided  even  one  out  of  a  hundred  prove 
a  blessing  ?  In  answer  to  these  objections,  permit  me  to  slate 
another  fact,  which  is,  that  we  have  found  apparently  devoted, 
heavenly-minded    Christians,    who   have    wept,    and    sometimes 


32 

cried  aloud,  and  praised  God,  when  we  have  informed  thern  of 
the  existence,  and  pointed  out  the  object,  of  the  Bible  Society. 

Secondly,  It  may  be  observed,  that  if  millions  of  Bibles  were 
provided,  and  information  given,  to  the  destitute,  that  they  could 
be  obtained  by  simply  applying  for  them,  the  work  of  distributing 
the  Bible,  to  that  extent  to  which  it  is  our  duty  to  carry  it,  would 
not  be  accomplished.  Many  of  these  people  do  not  know  what 
the  Bible  is.  It  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  persons,  in  answer  to 
our  inquiries,  to  assure  us,  that  they  have  a  Bible,  and  to  prove 
the  truth  of  the  declaration,  present  us  with  some  other  book. 
Sometimes  they  will  stare,  and  wonder  what  you  mean.  They 
never  heard  of  such  a  thing  as  the  Bible.  Many  who  know  what 
it  is,  and  have  been  accustomed  in  early  life  to  read  it,  have  al- 
most forgotten  its  contents,  and  are  wholly  unacquainted  with  its 
value.  They  see,  indeed,  that  many  people  are  intelligent, 
moral,  respectable,  pious,  and  happy  ;  while  others  are  of  a  to- 
tally different  character — that  the  darkness  of  heathenism  does 
not  rest  upon  us  as  a  people — that  we  are  not,  in  every  sense, 
idolators  and  savages  ;  but  never  imagine  that  the  Bible  has  made 
the  difference.  Such  has  been  their  education,  and  such  are 
their  habits,  that  many  of  them  have  no  inclination  to  read  any 
book  whatever,  and  if  they  had,  the  Bible  is  not  the  one  which 
they  would  naturally  choose.  Shall  they  be  left  in  this  state  ? 
Shall  we  make  no  effort  to  show  them  the  importance,  the  value 
of  the  Bible,  or  to  induce  them  to  read  '?  Shall  we  not  so 
much  as  carry  them  the  Bible,  and  ask  them  to  read  it?  Nay, 
shall  we  not  go  to  them  again  and  again,  and  urge  and  entreat 
them  to  read  that  blessed  book,  in  which  alone  "  life  and  immor- 
tality are  brought  to  light?"  Shall  we  not  study  day  and  night 
to  invent  arguments  to  persuade  them  to  read  ?  Shall  we  not 
pourtray  in  lively  colours  the  misery  of  hell  and  the  happiness  of 
heaven  ?  Shall  we  not  endeavour  to  give  them  some  idea  of  the 
value  of  the  soul,  of  the  solemnities  of  eternity  ;  if,  by  any  means, 
we  may  induce  them  to  read  that  book,  which  is  able  to  save 
them  from  hell  and  fit  them  for  heaven,  to  make  that  soul  happy, 
that  eternity  blessed  ? 

Upon  the  principle  which  some  maintain,  viz.  that  it  will  do  no 
good  to  give  the  Bible  to  those  who  are  not  sufficiently  interested 
to  make  application  for  it,  we  should  effectually  bar  from  that  sa- 
cred treasure  the  whole  Heathen  world  ;  we  should  leave  those 
millions  to  grope  for  ever  in  darkness.  Suppose  there  were  a 
newspaper,  which  circulated  throughout  China,  and  which  was 
read  by  all  its  inhabitants,  and  that  it  should  be  published,  that 
all  who  wished  might  have  the  Bible  by  applying  for  it,  what  ef- 
fect would  it  have  ?     How  many  would  be  supplied  ? 

The  value  of  the  Bible  is  discovered  by  experiment.  We  have 
made  this  discovery  ;  and  if  we  neglect  to  make  it  known  to  our 
fellow-men,  "  how  dvvelleth  the  love  of  God  in  us  ?"     Let  it  be 


23 

.remembered,  that  where  the  Bible  is  known  and  believed  to  be  the 
word  of  God,  it  is  often,  and  if  its  humbling  truths  come  home 
with  power  to  the  conscience,  is  always,  hated.  It  is  the  sun  of 
the  moral  world.  It  is  that  light  to  which  natural  man  will  not 
come,  "  lest  their  deeds  should  be  reproved."  We  must  carry  it  to 
them  ;  we  must  cause  it  to  shine  in  their  dark  abodes.  II  they  flee 
from  it  into  a  cavern  more  dark,  we  must  follow  them  ;  till  there 
shall  be  no  place  in  the  city  or  in  the  world  to  which  they 
can  retreat.  When  this  is  done,  we  shall  have  performed  our 
duty,  in  relation  to  distributing  Bibles,  and  we  may  then  hope 
that  God,  by  his  Spirit,  will  open  the  eyes  of  the  understanding, 
and  purify  the  heart,  so  that  men  shall  not  only  see  but  love  that 
light,  and  rejoice  in  it.* 

The  same  reasons  may  be  urged  for  the  distribution  of  religious 
Tracts.  Their  light  is  a  borrowed  and  fainter  light,  but,  gene- 
rally, it  is  the  true  light,  reflected  from  the  word  of  God.  By  the 
distribution  of  such  tracts,  many  sermons  have  been,  and  may  still 
be,  preached  in  places  inaccessible  to  a  minister  of  the  gospel. 
They  may  be  thrown  into  haunts  of  vice,  and  produce  the  most 
happy  effects.  They  have  been  thus  distributed  in  New-York, 
and  the  vilest  persons  have  been  seen  reading  them  with  the  most 
fixed  attention. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  that  the  Bible,  in  the  present  state  of 
society,  is  to  be  given  to  all  indiscriminately,  and  without  any 
evidence  that  a  proper  use  will  be  made  of  it.  The  follow- 
ing is  substantially  the  mode,  which  I  have  thought  it  my  duty  to 
adopt.  I  have,  generally  in  company  with  some  christian  friend, 
visited  all  the  families  adjoining  each  other  in  a  particular  neigh- 
bourhood— have  endeavoured  to  discover  what  families  were  desti- 
tute, and  to  ascertain  by  conversing  with  them, and  inquiring  of  others 
concerning  them,  whether  they  would  make  a  good  use  of  the  Bi- 
ble if  put  into  their  hands.  Those  to  whom  it  was  thought  best 
to  give  Bibles,  have  been  noted,  and  informed,  that  we  should 
call  again  and  supply  them.  By  this  means,  their  minds  have, 
in  some  measure,  been  prepared  for  the  sacred  deposit.  Oppor- 
tunity has  been  given,  also,  to  address  the  other  families  on  the 
subject  of  religion,  and  leave  tracts  in  their  possession.  Soon  af- 
ter this,  the  Bibles  have  been  given,  accompanied  with  such  in- 
structions and  admonitions  as  the  nature  of  the  subject  naturally 
suggested.  They  have  been  directed  to  keep  them,  frequently  and 

*  The  managers  and  members  of  the  Female  Bible  Society,  we  rejoice  to 
state,  have  actually  commenced  the  work.  Not  satisfied  with  aiding,  by 
their  funds  and  approbation,  the  parent  and  other  Bihle  institutions,  nor  with 
purchasing  Bibles,  and  depositing  thern  in  the  usual  manner,  they  have  en- 
tered the  habitations  of  the  poor---h<ive  sought  out  the  destitute,  and,  with 
their  own  hands,  have  given  them  the  word  of  life.  We  trust  their  truly 
christian  example  will  be  extensively  foltovi  ed,  not  only  in  this,  but  in  oth~r 
places. 


24 

prayerfully  to  peruse  them,  and  to  instruct  their  children  in  there,. 
They  have  been  reminded,  that,  receiving  the  Bible  in  this  man- 
ner, they  were  under  increased  obligations  to  love,  reverence,  and 
.obey  its  instructions  ;  that  it  was  the  word  of  the  living  God,  and 
would  prove  either  "  a  savour  of  life  unto  life,  or  of  death  unto 
death" — that  it  was  the  rule  by  which  they  would  be  tried  at  the 
last  day,  and  that,  if  it  did  not  prove  a  blessing,  it  would  be  a 
swift  witness  against  them.  Their  names  and  places  of  residence 
have  been  recorded,  and  they  have  been  informed,  that  our  anxie- 
ty would  probably  lead  us  to  call  at  a  future  time,  that  we  mi<dit 
know  whether  the  Bible  had  proved  a  blessing  or  not. 

In  addition  to  giving  Bibles  and  Tracts  in  this  manner,  and 
forming  Bible  associations,  which  we  hope  will  soon  be  done, 
many  may  be  circulated,  by  exposing  them  for  sale  in  parts  of 
the  city  in  which  they  are  most  needed.  There  are  Christians 
who  will  esteem  it  a  privilege  to  take  charge  of  them  and  sell  them 
at  the  first  cost.  A  show-bill  should  be  hung  out  to  give  the  infor- 
mation to  those  who  pass.  This  plan  has  been  suggested  by  find- 
ing many  people  destitute  of  the  Bible,  apparently  because  it 
had  not  come  in  their  way.  It  has  also  had  the  test  of  experience. 
Bibles  and  Tracts  have  been  thus  deposited,  and  several  thousands 
of  the  latter,  and  a  considerable  number  of  the  former,  have  ac- 
tually been  sold.  Christians  who  are  able  and  disposed  to  give  them 
to  their  poor  or  vicious  neighbours,  may,  by  this  means,  be  con- 
veniently supplied.  Bibles  and  Tracts  may  be  circulated,  also, 
by  employing  suitable  persons  to  go  from  house  to  house,  for  the 
express  purpose  of  selling  them,  allowing  a  reasonable  advance  on 
what  they  dispose  of.  Several  thousands  of  Tracts  have  recently 
been  circulated  in  this  way  in  the  destitute  parts  of  the  city. 
Peddlers  about  the  markets  and  streets  may  be  furnished  with  such 
books,  instead  of  those  of  a  corrupting  nature,  which  they  too  of- 
ten carry,  and  of  which  they  too  easily  dispose. 

3.  The  gospel  must  be  preached.  After  the  Holy  Spirit  has 
testified,  that  it  is  through  the  "  foolishness  of  preaching,"  that  God 
is  pleased  to  "  save  them  that  believe,"  it  will  not  be  questioned, 
that  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  among  the  means  by  which  the 
souls  of  men  are  to  be  redeemed  from  sin  and  death — that  it  is  one 
of  the  great  pillars  by  which  the  Church  is  supported — that  it  is 
an  institution  of  God. 

But  it  is  said,  that  you  cannot  preach  the  gospel  to  these  peo- 
ple ;  they  will  not  attend  public  worship,  provided  they  have  the 
opportunity.  In  answer  to  this  assertion,  which  has  been  reitera- 
ted, till  it  is  thread-bare,  we  observe,  that  it  cannot  be  known  to 
be  true  till  the  attempt  has  been  made.  After  labourers  have 
been  sent  into  the  vineyard,  houses  of  worship  erected,  the  gospel 
preached,  and  other  appointed  means  employed,  and  after  all 
have  failed  of  success,  this  objection  will  be  in  point.  It  is 
the   opinion    of    persons,    who  are    best   acquainted    with    the 


25 

character  and  condition  of  these  people,  that,  if  they  had  the  op- 
portunity, many  of  them  would  regularly  attend  upon  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel.  In  the  course  of  my  visits,  I  have  found  many, 
who  have  testified,  that  the  only  reason  why  they  did  not  go  to 
church  was,  that  they  had  no  seats  and  were  unable  to  procure 
them.  On  this  account,  many  families,  that  have  formerly  been 
accustomed  to  attend  public  worship,  have  been  absent  so  much 
that  the  desire  and  the  habit  of  attending  are  lost. 

Will  it  be  said,  that  the  churches  of  some  denominations  are 
free,  and,  therefore,  that  such  people  could  hear  the  gospel  if 
they  were  disposed  ?  It  is  true,  that  the  Methodist  churches  are 
free,  and  I  rejoice  that  it  is  in  my  power  to  state  that  they  are 
not  only  free,  butfull.  The  Presbyterian,  the  Baptist,  and  the 
Episcopal  churches  in  that  part  of  the  city  to  which  I  refer,  are 
also  full. 

It  is  said,  also,  that  in  some  of  the  churches  in  the  lower  part  of 
the  city,  there  is  room  for  hundreds  of  poor  people,  were  they  dis- 
posed to  come.     This  objection  has  already  been   answered.     It 
has  been  shown,  that  should  there  be  pews  which  are  unoccupied, 
the  poor  can  neither   purchase   nor   hire    them.     The   objection, 
however,   respects  those   pews   which    are   owned   by  the   more 
wealthy,  and  which,  on  account  of  the  smallness  of  the  family,  or 
for  a  worse  reason,  are  either  empty,   or  but   partially   filled,    on 
the  Sabbath.     Should  the  poor  be  so  much  engaged   as   to   come 
from  the  upper  to  the  lower  part  of  the  city  to   hear  the   gospel  ; 
should  they  so  far  overcome  their  natural  diffidence,  or,    as  some 
would  say,  be  so  impudent,   as  to  enter  these  churches,    clad   in 
the  manner  in  which  they  usually  are,  and  necessarily  must   be, 
would   the   occupants   of   these  pews  rise  and   give  them  seats  ? 
Some  who  have  made  this  objection,  and  to  whom   this   question 
has  been  put,  have  already  answered,  so  far  as  it  respected  them- 
selves, in  the   negative.     We    are   persuaded,   that  poor   people 
might  go  into  churches,  might  go  through  them,  and  go  out  again, 
before  this  class  of  objectors  would  give   them  a   seat.     Besides, 
the  question  is  not  concerning  a  few  hundreds  or  a  k\v  thousands, 
but  tens  of  thousands.     It  is   said    further,    that  if  these   people 
were  properly  interested,  they  would  go  and   stand  in   the  aisles, 
rather  than  not  hear  the  gospel.     It  is  undoubtedly  true  that  they 
would  ;  and  it  is  equally  true,   that  they   would   climb  up   at  the 
windows,  and  that  the  great  inquiry  about  our  streets    would   be, 
"  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"   Were  this  the  case,  there  would 
be  little  need  of  further  efforts  ;  but  who  does  not  know,  that  one 
great  object  of  preaching  the  gospel  is  to  arouse  men   from  their 
•stupidity,  and  to  excite  them  to  attend  to  their  spiritual  concerns  ? 
The  fact  that  men  are  not  properly  interested   in    the    subject  of 
religion,  proves  the  necessity  of  more  vigorous  efforts. 

It  is  not  enough,  however,  that  we  erect  houses  of  worship, 
that  we  open  the  doors  and  proclaim,  or  cause  to  be  proclaimed, 
the  glad  tidings  of  salvation.     We  must  do  more.    As  in  distri- 

D 


i>6 

buting  the  Bible,  so  in  preaching  the  gospel,  if  people  will  not 
come  to  us,  we  must  go  to  them — we  must  enter  their  dwellings — » 
we  must  preach  from  house  to  house.  For  this  mode  of  preaching 
we  have  the  express  command  of  Christ — "  Go  ye  into  all  the 
world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature  ;"  "  Go  out  into 
the  highways  and  hedges,  and  compel  them  to  come  in."  God  has 
in  mercy  adapted  the  means  of  grace  to  the  character  and  condi- 
tion of  his  creatures.  Having  wandered  from  the  sheep-fold,  hav- 
ing forsaken  the  "  fountainof  living  waters,"  he  has  appointed  the 
means  to  follow  them  and  bring  them  back.  "  The  Son  of  Man 
is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost." 

In  addition  to  the  command,  we  have  the  example  of  Christ. 
Though  the  Jews,  among  whom  he  laboured,  were  religiously 
educated,  and  accustomed  to  attend  public  worship,  he  did  not 
think  it  sufficient  to  preach  to  them  in  their  synagogues.  He 
went  from  place  to  place  ;  he  entered  their  dwellings ;  he  met 
them  in  the  street,  in  the  garden,  in  the  field,  by  the  sea,  on  the 
mountain — wherever  he  found  lost  men,  there  was  a  pulpit,  a  sanc- 
tuary, a  preacher.  When  he  sent  out  his  disciples,  he  intimated 
to  them,  that  they  were  to  preach  in  the  same  manner.  They 
followed  his  instructions,  they  imitated  his  example.  Even  while 
among  the  Jews,  "  daily  in  the  temple,  and  in  every  house,  they 
ceased  not  to  teach  and  to  preach  Jesus  Christ."  Paul  declares, 
that  he  taught  not  only  '<*  publicly,  but  from  house  to  house."  We 
know,  also,  that  this  mode  of  preaching  is  often  most  effectual  in 
our  established  congregations  ;  that  it  is  always  practised  in  times 
of  revival.  In  hardly  any  other  situation  is  it  possible  to  preach 
so  directly  to  the  conscience,  to  say,  with  such  effect,  "  Thou  art 
the  man."  If  the  gospel  is  not  to  be  preached  to  any  except 
those  who  are  disposed  to  hear  it  and  to  seek  after  it,  when  will 
it  be  preached  to  the  thousands  who  are  perishing  in  the  destitute 
pa  ts  of  our  country  ?  When  will  it  be  preached  to  the  Heathen 
nations — "  to  every  creature  ?" 

If  the  people  are  visited  and  instructed  in  their  own  dwellings; 
if,  in  addition  to  this,  they  are  assembled  together  in  little  circles 
for  social  worship  ;  if  they  are  followed  from  day  to  day,  and  week 
to  week  ;  if  all  is  done  in  a  manner  so  kind,  so  affectionate  so 
faithful,  that  they  shall  be  convinced,  that  you  have  no  object  in 
view  but  the  glory  of  God,  and  their  own  best  good,  we  cannot 
doubt,  that  a  powerful  effect  will  be  produced  ;  that  numbers  will 
be  converted — that  those  who  are  not  will  be  awakened  from  their 
stupidity — that  they  will  wish  to  attend  public  worship.  This 
leads  me  to  observe, 

4.  That  houses  of  worship  must  be  erected,  and  congregations 
and  churches  formed.  If  people  are  disposed  to  worship  God,  in 
a  public  manner,  it  requires  no  arguments  to  prove,  that  they 
must  have  suitable  places  for  their  accommodation.  That  such 
places  are  needed  at  the  present  time,  we  have  already  shown-; 


27 

A3  to  the  kind  of  house,  it  seems  indispensable,  when  we  consi- 
der the  natural  pride  of  the  human  heart,  in  connexion  with  the 
fact  that  these  people  live  in  a  city,  and  in  the  midst  of  other 
churches,  that  it  should  be  a  house  built  expressly  for  the  pur- 
pose— that  it  should  be  a  church.  It  is  unreasonable  to  ex- 
pect, that  people  of  this  description  should  go  to  a  school-house  or 
a  private  room  to  worship  on  the  Sabbath,  unltss  particularly  in- 
fluena  d  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Lectures  have  been  sometimes  ap- 
pointed in  such  places,  and  because  large  numbers  have  not  at- 
tended, it  has  been  concluded,  that  all  further  efforts  would  be  in 
vain. 

Should  such  houses  be  provided,  and  other  means  which  have 
been  mentioned,  used,  we  believe,  that  some  will  become  pious, 
and  therefore  churches  and  congregations  must  be  formed.  That 
christians  may  be  zealous  and  active,  and  grow  in  grace,  they 
must  unite,  they  must  be  in  such  a  situation  that  they  can  "speak 
often  one  to  another,"  and  enjoy  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel. 
Christians  resemble,  in  no  small  degree,  coals  of  fire,  which,  scat- 
tered over  a  large  surface,  afford  but  little  light  and  heat,  and  are 
liable  to  be  extinguished;  but  if  collected  together,  they  imme- 
diately kindle  into  aflame,  glow,  and  diffuse  light  and  heat  to  all 
around  them.  Since  employed  by  the  Society,  I  have  found  many 
sad  proofs  of  the  importance  of  christian  intercourse,  and  of  pro- 
fessors being  constantly  united  to  the  visible  church  :  I  have  found 
many  professors  from  other  places,  who  have  lived  here  for  years, 
and  not  united  themselves  to  any  church  ;  and,  in  consequence  of 
it,  their  first  love  has  degenerated  into  lukewarmness,  their  zeal 
into  a  spirit  of  conformity  to  the  world.  It  is  important,  that 
christians  should  unite  together,  not  only  for  their  own  benefit, 
but  for  the  good  of  others.  Their  object  is  not  only  self-defence, 
but  invasion,  not  only  to  retain  what  they  have  gained,  but  to  ex- 
tend the  triumphs  of  the  cross.  Were  they  thus  to  unite,  soon 
would  they  attach  large  numbers  to  their  Divine  Master. 

To  commence  the  work,  let  suitable  men  be  employed  to  labour 
as  evangelists  ;  let  them  be  aided  by  private  christians  ;  let  houses 
of  worship  be  erected.  Were  this  method  pursued,  glorious  con- 
quests in  the  midst  of  these  thousands  would,  with  the  blessing  of 
God,  soon  be  made  ;  large  churches  and  congregations  would 
soon  be  formed. 

This  general  method  of  proceeding  is  sanctioned,  not  only  by 
the  authority  of  God,  but  by  the  esample  of  the  apostles  and 
primitive  christians,  and  by  the  experience  of  the  Church  in  every 
age.  We  can  only  refer  to  the  example  of  the  great  apostle  of 
the  Gentiles.  After  calling  to  mind  his  qualifications  both  natural 
and  super-natural,  and  his  unexampled  success,  no  one  will  doubt, 
that  he  selected  the  best  means  for  the  accomplishment  of  his  ob- 
ject. Mark  his  pro. ress.  He  goes  out  into  the  highways  and 
hedges,  or  into  the  midst  of  the  heathen.    He  preaches  from  house 


28 

to  house,  and  in  all  other  places  where  he  can  find  any  who  will 
hear  him.  He  does  not  stop  here.  Wherever  God  is  pleased  in 
any  measure  to  bless  his  labours,  or  wherever  there  are  a  sufficient 
number  of  christians,  he  forms  a  church,  establishes  the  regular 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  the  administration  of  the  ordinances. 
Without  going  back  to  past  ages,  we  have  abundant  proof  of  the 
correctness  of  these  remarks  from  experience  in  this  city.  The 
houses  of  worship  which  have  been  built  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
city  have  not  been  built  in  vain.  Large  churches  and  congrega- 
tions have  been  formed,  and  the  state  of  society  greatly  improved. 

It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  notice,  that  the  further  you  go  from  a 
church,  both  in  the  city  and  in  the  country,  the  more  ignorant 
and  vicious  you  find  the  people.  I  speak  not  of  individual  fami- 
lies, but  of  the  great  mass  of  the  population.  The  very  sight  of  a 
church  will  often  cause  those  who  are  grossly  vicious  to  blush  and 
reform,  or  retire  from  its  view.  It  is  a  perpetual  monitor,  espe- 
cially on  the  Sabbath  when  people  assemble  together,  and  will 
exert  a  powerful  influence  on  the  surrounding  neighbourhood.  A 
brothel  cannot  exist  by  the  side  of  a  church,  unless  it  have  some 
secret  communication  with  the  Theatre,  that  stronghold  of  Satan, 
from  which  its  altars  may  be  supplied  with  victims.  Erect  a 
church,  and  the  moral  atmosphere  will  be  purified — the  mists  of 
darkness  and  death  will  vanish — the  harsh  gratings  of  discord  and 
blasphemy  will  be  changed  into  the  sweet  songs  of  Zion-— the  ha- 
bitation of  cruelty  and  vice  into  a  Bethel— -the  sink  of  pollutioB 
into  a  fountain   of  life — the  desert  into  the  garden  of  God. 

Sufficient  attention  has  not  been  paid,  we  believe,  to  the  man- 
ner in  which  provision  has  hitherto  been  made  for  the  poor  in 
many  of  our  churches.     It  will  not  answer   to   have   particular 

SE.\TS   DESIGNATED    AS     SEATS     FOR     THE    POOR.       The     simple   fact, 

that  people  are  marked  as  poor,  will  effectually  exclude  from 
the  sanctuary  many  who  would  otherwise  attend.  To  remedy 
this  evil,  the  churches  may  be  so  built,  that  the  pews,  or  a  part  of 
them,  shall  be  disposed  of  at  a  low  rate.  If  a  poor  man  wishes 
for  a  pew  and  is  not  able  to  pay  ten  dollars,  let  him  pay  two,  or 
one  ;  or  if  he  is  not  able  to  pay  any  thing,  let  him  have  one  with- 
out paying  for  it.  Let  him,  at  all  events,  have  a  pew  for  his  fa- 
mily ;  otherwise  the  whole  house  should  be  free. 

Let  it  not  be  forgotten,  that  the  work  to  be  performed  is  so 
great,  that  the  energies  of  private  christians  must  be  called  into 
action. 

Though  missionaries  or  evangelists,  who  shall  be  employed,  are 
to  take  the  lead,  christians  must  co-operate,  not  only  by  their 
prayers  and  their  property,  but  by  their  active  exertions.  We 
would  not  be  understood,  however,  as  intimating  that  nothing  ha« 
been  done.  Individuals  have  done  much  to  supply  the  spiritual 
wants  of  the  poor  ;  but  the  effect  of  their   labours  has   been  com- 


29 

paratively  limited  for  want  of  system  and  union.  Though  single 
efforts  may  be  great  in  themselves,  they  will  produce  compara- 
tively but  little  effect ;  whereas  combined,  well-directed,  perse- 
vering efforts,  will  produce  almost  any  thing.  To  call  into  ac- 
tion, to  combine,  and  to  direct  the  energies  of  christians,  it  is 
proposed, 

6.  To  form  associations  in  every  ward,  and  in  different  sections 
of  the  same  ward,  throughout  the  city.  The  first  object  will  be 
to  ascertain  the  moral  state  of  the  people,  and  the  second  to  im- 
prove it :  first,  to  ascertain  what  families  are  destitute  of  the  Bi- 
ble—what families  or  individuals  do  not  attend  pubiic  worship— 
what  adults  and  children  need  instruction—what  vices  are  most 
prevalent:  secondly,  to  distribute  Bibles  and  Tracts,  to  visit  the 
sick  and  afflicted,  to  persuade  old  and  young  to  attend  public 
worship,  Sabbath  Schools,  and  to  assemble  at  other  places  where 
they  may  receive  religious  instruction;  to  prevent,  by  various 
means,  Sabbath  breaking,  profaneness,  intemperance,  idleness, 
and  vice  of  every  description. 

It  cannot  be  in  the  city,  in  every  respect,  as  it  is  in  the  coun- 
try, where  the  character  and  circumstances  of  every  family  are 
almost  necessarily  known.  In  the'  city  there  are,  strictly  speak- 
ing, no  neighbourhoods  ;  and  were  it  desirable,  we  do  not  ex- 
pect that  all  who  live  near  each  other  should  enter  into  habits  of 
intimacy.  But  were  those  who  are  pious  and  in  comfortable  cir- 
cumstances to  become  so  much  acquainted  with  those  who  live 
near  them,  as  to  ascertain  their  character  and  condition,  both  as  it 
respects  temporal  and  spiritual  things,  it  would  produce  the  most 
salutary  effects. 

Such  a  system  would  directly  promote  the  temporal,  and  in  that 
way  indirectly,  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  poor.  The  respecta- 
ble poor  often  suffer  for  the  necessaries  of  life.  The  reason  why 
they  will  not  make  known  their  situation,  is,  that,  as  most  per- 
sons who  beg  are  vicious,  they  would  endanger  their  character, 
and  rather  than  do  this  they  will  endure  extreme  sufferings,  and 
sometimes  even  death  itself.  It  is  necessary  not  only  to  visit,  but 
often  to  make  an  effort  to  ascertain  the  wants  of  this  class  of  the 
poor.  Many,  both  of  the  virtuous  and  vicious,  suffer  extremely 
in  sickness  ;  not  because  there  are  none  to  afford  relief,  for  it  is 
not  uncommon  for  the  benevolent  to  go  from  one  extremity  of  the 
city  to  the  other  to  visit  and  relieve  the  sick;  but  because  their 
situation  is  unknown.  More  may,  sometimes,  visit  a  sick  person 
than  is  really  beneficial,  while  at  the  very  next  door,  there  may 
be  another  equally  needy  and  equally  worthy  of  assistance,  to 
whom  no  assistance  is  afforded.     Such  cases  have  often  occurred. 

It  is  known,  that,  during  the  late  inclement  season,  a  number 
of  persons  have  perished  in  this  city  with  hunger  and  cold.  Had 
there  been  such  associations,  their  untimely  death  would  most  cer- 
tainly bare  been  prevented.     It  may  be  said,  that  this  was  a  very 


30 

unusual  time,  and  cannot  be  expected  to  occur  again.  Be  this  as 
it  may,  christians,  we  trust,  feel  no  smali  degree  of  regret,  thai 
even  a  few  immortal  souls  should,  in  this  manner,  be  hurried  in- 
to eternity.  It  is  a  fact,  however,  that  people  die  at  other  times 
for  want  of  attention.  A  respectable  lady,  a  few  weeks  ago, 
went  into  the  house  of  a  poor  neighbour,  and  found,  to  her  great 
surprise,  a  woman  lying  sick,  and,  in  the  cradle  by  her  side,  the 
remains  of  a  lovely  child.  On  inquiry  she  learned,  that  the  wo- 
man had  been  reduced  so  low,  that  she  could  not  go  out  to  obtain 
relief,  or  make  known  her  situation.  The  child  had  died  with 
hunger,  and  would,  doubtless,  soon  have  been  followed  by  its 
mother  to  the  world  of  spirits,  had  it  not  been  for  this  providen- 
tial discovery.  Those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  circumstances 
of  the  poor,  know  that  occurrences  of  the  same  general  nature 
are  not  uncommon.  With  such  facts  in  view,  who  will  pretend 
that  some  system  like  the  one  proposed,  is  not  indispensable  ? 
It  would  not  only  prevent  the  poor  from  suffering  and  dying  for 
want  of  timely  aid,  but  it  would  prevent  the  necessity  of  that 
aid.  To  manage  their  temporal  concerns  to  advantage,  many 
need  information,  advice,  and  direction,  which,  without  the  least 
difficulty,  might  be  given  by  a  kind  and  judicious  neighbour. 
This  remark  is  more  especially  applicable  to  strangers,  who  are 
unacquainted  with  the  customs  of  the  city.  In  consequence  of 
disappointment  or  misfortune,  many  are  disheartened,  and  settle 
down  into  a  state  of  gloom  and  sloth,,  which  are  the  precursors  of 
personal  and  family  vice,  disgrace,  and  ruin.  This  might  fre- 
quently be  prevented,  should  some  friend  take  them  by  the  hand, 
assist  them  in  finding  employment,  and  encourage  them  to  make 
an  effort.  Their  characters  being  known,  there  would  be  no  dif- 
ficulty in  obtaining  employment,  and  other  necessary  aid,  for  the 
respectable  poor.  But,  at  present,  they  are  mixed  with  the  vi- 
cious, are  regarded  in  the  same  light,  and  are  treated  in  the  same 
manner. 

Such  associations  would  greatly  aid  the  Sabbath  Schools.  Those 
who  are  not  immediately  connected  with  that  institution,  can  re- 
commend it  with  a  degree  of  influence  which  is  not  at  the  com- 
mand of  the  teachers.  Poor  children  might  be  supplied  with 
clothes.  That  some  assistance  of  this  kind  is  necessary,  will  not 
be  doubted.  But  experience  has  taught,  that  it  is  unwise  to  have  it 
afforded,  by  those  to  whom  the  immediate  management  of  the 
schools  is  intrusted. 

But  such  associations  are  principally  important  on  account  of 
their  more  direct  moral  influence.  Many  people  resort  to  our 
large  cities,  that  they  may  live  with  less  restraint,  and  still  retain 
their  standing  in  society.  If  a  family,  in  a  well  regulated  coun- 
try village,  does  not  attend  public  worship,  it  is  known,  and  the 
mural  character  of  that  family  receives  a  wound.  The  same  is 
true  of  the  neglect  of  other  duties,  or  the  practice  of  other  sins. 


31 

This  eperates  as  a  strong  motive  to  restrain  those  who  are  not 
under  the  influence  of  the  gospel,  and  to  induce  them  to  attend  at 
least  to  the  outward  forms  of  religion  How  different  in  the  city  ! 
People  may  here  neglect  public  worship  for  years,  and,  because 
it  is  unknown,  may  be  as  much  respected  by  those  who  are  not 
intimately  acquainted  with  them,  as  if  they  strictly  observed  the. 
Sabbath.  Let  every  man's  character  and  conduct  be  known  to 
the  moral  and  pious,  and  a  change  in  the  state  of  society  will  be 
effected  ;  for  there  are  but  few,  who  are  insensible  to  the  opinion 
of  their  fellow  men,  however  they  may  disregard  the  command 
of  God.  The  very  sight  of  the  moral  and  pious  is  a  check  to  the 
wicked.  Should  respectable  persons  simply  pass  through  parti- 
cular streets  every  day,  and  look  at  those  who  now  exhibit  in 
those  streets  all  the  degradation  of  their  character,  it  would  soon 
cause  them  to  hide  their  heads.  The  voice  of  the  pious  awakes  the 
internal  monitor,  and  their  presence  encourages  him  to  do  his 
duty.  Christians  may  greatly  promote  the  spiritual  welfare  of 
the  poor,  by  holding  small  meetings  among  them,  for  the  purpose 
of  prayer  and  reading  the  scriptures.  The  exertions  of  such  as- 
sociations would  induce  many  to  attend  public  worship,  particularly 
those  who  are  not  grossly  vicious,  and  strangers  who  have  been 
accustomed  to  attend  previous  to  their  residence  in  the  city.  When 
they  first  come,  they  generally  wander  from  place  to  place. 
Having  no  seat  of  their  own,  and  being  frequently  unable  to  find 
one,  it  becomes  unpleasant.  They  occasionally  stay  at  home  ; 
it  agrees  with  the  practice  of  many  around  them  ;  it  gratifies  the 
natural  heart,  and  soon,  instead  of  the  old  and  good  habit,  a  new 
and  bad  one  is  formed.  This  is  not  true  merely  of  the  poorer 
class  of  people,  but  also  of  a  large  class  in  comfortable  circum- 
stances. 

Professing  christians,  who  come  into  the  city  and  live  here  for 
a  long  time,  without  connecting  themselves  with  any  church  or 
congregation,  would  by  this  means  be  discovered  and  brought  to 
the  enjoyment  of  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel.  The  number  of 
such  is  not  small;  and  what  is  still  more  surprising,  pious  people 
have  been  found,  who  have  lived  here  for  years  and  have  formed 
no  religious  acquaintance;  not  because  they  did  not  value  christian 
intercourse,  but  because  they  were  strangers,  modest  strangers, 
whose  views  of  propriety  would  not  permit  them  to  introduce  them- 
selves. They  have  pined  and  mourned  in  solitude,  their  graces 
have  withered,  and  their  usefulness  has  been  comparatively  limited. 
Tears  have  sometimes  testified  the  joy  they  felt  at  being  delivered 
f  vm  this  unhappy  state. 

Such  associations  would  greatly  encourage  and  aid  our  poor 
brethren  who  live  in  the  midst  of  the  most  vicious,  and  who  are 
"  vexed  with  their  filthy  conversation,"  who  like  "  righteous  Lot 
dwelling  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  seeing  and  hearing,  vex  their 
righteous  <?onls  from  day  to  day  with  their  unlawful  deeds.1'     Be- 


32 

ing  on  the  same  level  with  their  neighbours,  as  to  worldly  circum- 
stances, and  being  alone,  they  can  do  little  more  than  mourn  and 
pray  in  secret.  But  if  they  could  associate  with  people  more  re- 
spectable in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  they  would,  from  their  situation 
be  powerful  auxiliaries  in  this  holy  warfare. 

Particular  pains  should  be  taken  to  approach  the  destitute,  es- 
pecially the  vicious,  in  times  of  affliction.  Places  inaccessible  to 
christians  at  other  times,  are  then  approached  with  perfect  ease. 
By  afflictions  God  prepares  the  way  before  his  people  :  he  opens 
the  ears,  restrains  the  passions,  and  softens  the  hearts  of  the  most 
profligate  and  hardened.  There  is  one  other  fact  which  must  not 
be  omitted.  There  is  not  the  least  doubt,  that  hundreds  of  peo- 
ple every  year  are  sick  and  die,  and  are  buried  without  the  pre- 
sence of  a  minister,  and  a  iarge  number  without  the  presence  of  a 
private  christian.    "  These  things  ought  not  so  to  be." 

When  we  take  into  view  the  considerations  which  have  been, 
and  others  which  might  be  suggested,  we  cannot  but  hope,  that 
christians  will  feel  it  their  duty  to  unite  together,  to  inquire  into 
the  state  of  the  destitute,  to  "  go  about  doing  good  :"  and  that  the 
efforts  of  this  nature  which  have  already  been  made,  will  soon  be 
followed  by  others  more  systematic,  vigorous,  and  successful.* 

These,  it  is  believed,  are  among  the  means  which  are  to  be  used 
for  the  instruction,  the  reformation,  and  the  salvation  of  the  desti- 
tute, who  constantly  reside  in  the  city. 

But  there  is  another  class  of  the  destitute,  whom  it  is  more  diffi- 
cult to  supply.  I  refer  particularly  to  our  seamen,  who  in  conse- 
quence of  their  character  and  circumstances,  have  been  regarded  as 
aimost  beyond  the  reach  of  hope.  The  principal  difficulty  arises 
from  their  having  no  permanent  place  of  residence.  Should  any  par- 
ticular number  of  them  unite  together  and  establish  a  school,  or 
erect  a  church,  or  should  this  be  done  for  them  by  their  friends,  who 
live  on  shore,  they  could  not  enjoy  the  benefit.  Their  employment 
obliges  them  soon  to  be  at  the  distance  of  hundreds  and  perhaps 
thousands  of  miles.  They  are  constantly  moving  in  different  direc- 
tions, constantly  changing  associates.  While  at  sea  they  are  in  such 
small  companies,  that  they  cannot  ordinarily,  either  supply  them- 
selves with  a  preached  gospel,  or  be  supplied  by  their  employers. 
Even  in  the  Millennium  we  cannot  suppose  that  the  gospel  will,  to 
any  great  extent,  be  preached  on  the  ocean.  This  renders  it  in- 
dispensable that  the  principal  attention  should  be  paid  to  them  while 
in  port.  God  has  kindly  adapted  the  dispensations  of  his  grace  to 
the  condition  of  his  creatures.      At  sea  they  do  not  need  the  same 

*  A  considerable  number  of  christians  have  engaged,  and  appear  much  in- 
terested in  this  benevolent  work.  They  see  and  feel  its  importance  ;  are  great- 
ly encouraged,  and  determined  to  persevere.  They  meet  together  at  stated 
times,  and  are  much  refreshed  while  they  communicate  intelligence,  and  with 
united  hearts  surround  the  throae  of  grace. 


33 

attention.  They  are  then  removed  from  many  of  those  temptations 
to  which  they  are  exposed  while  on  shore.  Considering,  therefore, 
their  character  and  circumstances,  it  is  evident,  that  the  means  of 
grace  with  which  they  are  supplied  must,  in  a  sense,  be  common 
property,  to  which  all  seamen  shall  have  an  equal  claim.  In  order 
to  their  improvement  and  salvation,  it  is  proposed, 

First,  That  in  every  seaport  there  should  be  a  Marine  School,  by 
which  seamen  may  be  instructed,  in  reading,  writing,  arithmetic, 
geography,  navigation,  and  other  branches  of  learning.  Strange  as 
it  may  seem,  a  large  number  of  them  are  unable  to  read  This  is 
not,  however,  generally  the  case  in  respect  of  those,  who  come 
from  parts  of  the  country  and  of  the  world,  where  particular  at- 
tention is  paid  to  the  education  of  the  rising  generation.  But  sea- 
men are  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  from  all  parts  of  the 
world.  Thou.rh  their  stay  in  a  single  port,  at  one  time,  is  but 
short,  yet  all  the  time  which  they  spend  in  all  the  ports  they  enter, 
is  very  considerable.  It  is  estimated,  that  they  are  in  port  one 
fourth  part  of  the  year,  or  three  months  out  of  twelve.  During  a 
considerable  part  of  this  time  they  are  wholly  unemployed.  Were 
schools  established,  and  proper  efforts  made  to  interest  them  in  the 
subject,  we  believe  they  would  gladly  embrace  the  opportunity. 
Those,  who  needed  it,  would  soon  learn  to  read,  while  the  more 
enterprising  would  wish  to  attend  to  other  branches,  particularly 
to  navigation,  if  for  no  other  reason,  that  they  might  be  promoted 
to  higher  stations.  Were  they  thus  instructed  on  the  land,  they 
might  by  the  aid  of  books  and  their  more  knowing  companions, 
pursue  their  studies  while  at  sea.  Observations  on  the  manner  in 
which  a  school  of  this  description  shouid  be  conducted,  must  be 
omitted.  A  Library  also  should  be  connected  writh  the  school. 
Most  seamen  are  destitute  not  only  of  the  Bible,  but  of  all  other 
books,  Many  who  have  carried  books  to  sea  with  them  have  lost 
them,  by  shipwreck  or  in  some  other  way.  Were  a  library  esta- 
blished to  which  seamen,  under  proper  restrictions,  could  have  ac- 
cess, numbers  would  employ  at  least  a  part  of  their  time  in  read- 
ing. If  by  these  and  other  means  they  can  be  furnished  with 
employment  while  in  port,  much  towards  their  reformation  will  be 
accomplished  ;  for  we  are  confident,  that  the  want  of  employment 
is  one  great  reason  why  so  many  of  them  resort  to  haunts  of  vice. 

Secondly,  as  another  means  of  benefiting  our  seamen,  Bible  So- 
cieties should  be  established,  of  which  they  shall  be  the  active  mem- 
bers. Every  person  acquainted  with  their  moral  state,  knows,  that 
most  of  them  are  destitute  of  the  Bible,  and  that  those  who  are  not 
destitute,  are  supplied  in  a  manner  by  no  means  the  best.  Human  na- 
ture is  such,  that  it  is  almost  impossible,  that  a  seaman  should  take 
the  same  interest  in  the  Bible  where  he  has  it  in  common  with  a 
whole  crew,  compared  will1  what  he  would,  provided  he  had  >copy 
of  his  own,  obtained  by  his  own  industry,  and  from  his  bvvn  so-. 
cietj.     By  means  of  such  a  society,  a   record  also  may  be  kept, 

E 


34 

and  testimonials  may  be  given,  which  will  gain  them  employment 
in  preference  to  the  profligate.  As  the  Bible  is  almost  the  only 
means  of  instruction  with  which  they  can  be  supplied  when  out 
of  port,  we  trust,  that  they  will  not  be  permitted  to  leave  our 
shores  without  this  compass,  this  pole  star,  to  direct  them  to  the 
haven  of  eternal  rest.* 

If  it  be  important,  that  their  minds  should  be  enlightened  by  hu- 
man knowledge,  and  that  the  Bible  should  be  put  into  their  hands, 
it  is  still  more  important,  that  the  gospel  should  be  preached  to 
them.  In  what  manner  can  it  be  done  ?  In  answer  to  this  inquiry, 
which  has  occasioned  great  and  tender  solicitude  in  the  minds  of 
some,  who  have  thought  of  seamen,  who  have  wept  over  them,  and 
prayed  for  them,  it  is  proposed, 

Thirdly,  That  in  large  sea-ports  churches  be  erected  expressly 
for  their  accommodation.  This  it  is  conceived  is  the  only  way  in 
which  they  can  extensively  enjoy  a  preached  gospel.  It  is  said, 
that  they  may  be  accommodated  in  other  churches,  and  in  them 
may  hear  the  gospel.  In  answer  to  this,  it  may  be  observed,  in 
the  first  place,  that  there  is  no  provision  for  them.  The  few  seats 
which  are  not  occupied  by  private  families,  are  occupied  by  the 
poor,  whom  we  always  have  with  us.  No  provision  whatever  has 
been  made  for  seamen  as  a  class  of  men  by  themselves.  They 
have  been  forgotten,  or  entirely  neglected. 

But,  in  the  second  place,  were  provision  made  for  them  in  our 
churches,  it  would  not  remove  the  difficulty.  They  regard  them- 
selves, and  they  are  regarded  by  others,  as  an  entirely  separate  class 
of  the  community.  They  do  not  mingle  with  other  people.  Their 
very  mode  of  life  excludes  them  from  all  society,  except  that  of 
their  companions.  With  them  they  necessarily  and  exclusively  as- 
sociate while  at  sea.  When  in  port  they  have  no  other  acquaint- 
ance, and  have  but  little  occasion  or  inducement  to  form  any,  ex- 
cept it  be  that,  which,  though  very  limited  in  its  duration,  is  ex- 
tremely pernicious  in  its  consequences.  They  have  no  places  of 
resort,  except  those  which  frequently  become  the  grave  of  their 
property,  their  morals,  their  happiness,  and  their  souls.  They  are 
most  of  the  time  strangers  in  a  strange  place.  As  they  have  ge- 
nerally become  vicious  in  consequence  of  being  neglected,  and  as 
no  distinction  is  made  between  the  sober  and  the  profligate,  they 
are  strangers  whom  all  feel  at  liberty  to  despise.  Those  of  them 
who  are  respectable,  and  such  there  are,  notwithstanding  all  the 
disadvantages  under  which  they  labour,  have  a  high  sense  of  pro- 
priety, and  will  not  be  guilty  of  intrusion  :  hence  they  have  a 
natural  aversion  to  enter  our  churches.  Another  barrier  is  their 
dress.     Their   dress  is  almost  universally  different   from  that  of 

*  Since  this  report  was  read,  a  Marine  Bible  Society  has  been  organized, 
and  the  .subject  discussed  more  at  large  in  the  Addresses  to  Merchants  and 
Masters  of  vessels,  and  to  Seamen,  which  are  before  the  public. 


35 

other  people.  When  they  enter  a  church,  they  are  known  and 
marked  as  sailors  ;  they  attract  the  notice  of  no  small  part  of  the 
congregation;  and  most  of  them  would  sooner  face  the  cannon's 
mouth  than  that  thoughtless,  supercilious  gaze,  which  betrays 
equally  a  want  of  civility  to  the  stranger,  and  of  reverence  in  the 
house  of  God.  Many  have  told  me,  with^strong  emotions,  that 
they  supposed  people  thought  they  went  to  church  to  mock  at  re- 
ligion, or  from  some  other  improper  motive. 

There  is  another  reason  why  they  do  not  more  frequently  go  to 
church.  It  is  a  fact,  and  one  at  the  recital  of  which  the  per- 
sons concerned  ought  to  blush,  that  they  have  been  turned  out  of 
our  churches  when  they  have  entered  !  They  have  received  no 
invitation  to  take  seats — the  pews  have  been  closed  against  them 
— and  they,  in  some  cases,  have  been  informed,  that  there  was 
no  room  for  sailors.  Such  was  not  the  manner  in  which  they 
were  treated  by  the  Son  of  God.  On  account  of  this  treatment, 
many  have  not  been  to  church  for  years.  When  one  is  thus 
treated,  it  influences  a  whole  circle  of  his  companions  :  conse- 
quently seamen  are  impressed  with  the  idea,  that  there  is  no  room 
for  them  in  our  churches,  and  that  their  presence  is  not  desired. 
By  the  testimony  of  masters  of  vessels,  and  sailors  themselves, 
this  impression  is  almost  universal.  This  is  the  reason  which  they 
generally  assign  for  not  attending  public  worship. 

Will  it  be  said,  that  this  impression  may  be  removed  by  making 
provision  for  them,  and  inviting  them  to  attend  ?  Suppose,  that 
in  every  church  in  the  city,  there  was  provision  for  a  certain  num- 
ber of  seamen,  so  that  in  all  the  churches,  all  the  seamen  who 
come  to  the  port  might  be  accommodated  ;  how  could  they  be 
distributed  according  to  the  provision  made  in  each  church  ?  They 
arc  strangers  :  they  usually  remain  in  port  but  a  very  short  time. 
Should  they  be  disposed  to  go  at  all,  under  such  circumstances, 
the  probability  is,  that  most  of  them  would  go  to  but  few  places. 
They  love  to  be  together,  they  go  to  church  in  companies.  In 
this  case  a  part  of  them  would  find  no  accommodation.  They 
might  spend  a  considerable  portion  of  the  time  of  divine  service 
in  wandering  from  one  place  to  another.  Should  they  enter  a 
church  and  not  find  a  seat,  they  would  be  mortified.  These  con- 
siderations, with  the  fact,  that  they  have  a  strong  reluctance  to 
go  to  a  church  to  which  others  resort,  would  effectually  close 
against  them  the  doors  of  the  sanctuary.  But  such  provision  is 
not  made  for  them  ;  and  we  confidently  assert,  that  il  will  not  be 
made,  till  that  day  when  all  shall  feel,  and  love,  and  act  as  breth- 
ren. Further,  it  is  the  opinion  of  a  large  number  of  masters  of 
vessels  and  seamen,  who  have  been  consulted  during  the  past  year, 
not  only  in  this,  but  in  some  other  ports,  that  this  is  the  only  way 
in  which  the  gospel  can  be  effectually  preached  to  seamen.  Al- 
most every  individual,  to  whom  it  has  been  made  known,  has  ap- 
peared highly  gratified  with  the  plan,   and  expressed  a  strong  de- 


36 

sife,  that  it  might  go  into  effect.  The  plan  has  received  the  ap- 
probation, not  only  of  seafaring  people,  but  of  a  considerable 
number  of  respectable  merchants,  clergymen,  and  others.  Were 
it  known  to  seamen,  that,  whenever  they  entered  a  large  sea-port, 
they  would  find  a  church,  many  would  be  induced  to  attend,  by 
the  influence  of  early  education,  by  curiosity,  a  desire  to  see  their 
companions  and  to  be  like  other  people,  or  the  pride  which  they 
would  take  in  an  institution  of  their  own.  Though  drawn  by 
such  motives,  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  might,  nevertheless,  be- 
come to  them  "  the  wisdom  of  God  and  the  power  of  God  unto  sal- 
vation." Many,  we  trust,  would  be  influenced  by  higher  motives, 
a  desire  to  worship  God  in  obedience  to  his  command,  to  hear  the 
glad  tidings  of  salvation,  and  learn  the  way  to  heaven. 

The  expense  of  such  an  establishment  would,  at  first,  be  consi- 
derable. But  when  we  consider  the  number  of  seamen,  and  their 
unparalleled  liberality,  we  cannot  doubt,  that  they  would,  in  the 
end,  amply  support,  by  their  contributions,  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel.  Wheh  we  take  into  view  the  importance  of  the  subject 
in  all  its  relations,  and  the  interest*  which  has  already  been  mani- 
fested, we  believe,  that  the  time  is  not  far  distant,  when  in  every 
large  sea-port,  the  sanctuary  will  unfold  its  doors,  and  welcome  to 
its  blessings  our  brethren,  "  who  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships,  who 
do  business  in  great  waters;"  that,  as  they  "  see  the  wonders" 
of  the  Lord  "  in  the  deep,"  they  may,  in  his  earthly  courts,  be- 
hold the  greater  wonders  of  redeeming  love. 

But  all  human  efforts  for  the  salvation  of  the  destitute  will  be  of 
no  avail  without  the  blessing  of  God.  Means  in  themselves  are 
powerless.  In  a  field  like  this,  "  a  Paul  may  plant  and  an  Apol- 
los  water"  in  vain  :  God  alone  can  give  the  increase  ;  God  alone 
can  raise  to  spiritual  life  these  multitudes,  who  are  "  dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins/'  We  mention,  therefore,  as  an  indispensable  re- 
quisite to  the  accomplishment  of  this  work, 

6  Continual  and  earnest  prayer  to  God.  From  what  God 
has  revealed  in  his  word,  as  well  as  from  his  dealings  with  his 
church,  we  have  reason  to  believe,  that  prayer  is  the  great  me- 
dium, through  which  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  descend. 
Though  "  the  Lord  promises  to  build  the  ruined  places  and  plant 
that  which  was  desolate,"  he  assures  us  that  he  "  will  be  inquired 
of  by  the  house  of  Israel  to  do  it  for  them."  With  the  commands 
of  God  on  this  subject,  every  Christian  must  be  familiar.  On  the 
precious  promises  which  he  has  made  to  support  and  encourage  his 
people  in  their  labours,  and  which  are  scattered  throughout  the  sa- 
cred pages,  as  glowing  gems  in  the  midst  of  others  of  inferior  lus- 
tre, all  must  have  dwelt  with  peculiar  delight — with  lively  emo- 

*  A  subscripting  for  a  Seaman's  Church  was  sometime  ago  opened  in  this 
city.  How  much  has  been  subscribed,  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  state  ;  enough, 
however,  to  justify  the  belief,  that  such  a  church  will  be  erected. 


37 

lions  of  hope  and  joy.  It  is  our  Saviour  who  hath  said,  "  That  if 
two  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth,  as  touching  any  thing  that  they 
shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my  Father  who  is  in  hea- 
ven." It  is  He  who  has  assured  his  people,  that  their  heavenly 
Father  is  more  ready  to  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him, 
than  parents  are  to  give  good  gifts  to  their  children. 

The  examples  of  Moses,  of  Abraham,  of  Jacob,  of  David,  of 
Daniel,  and  of  a  host  of  ancient  worthies,  urge  and  encourage  us  to 
the  performance  of  this  duty.  Though  Christ  "spake  as  never  man 
spake  ;"  though  he  had  power  to  turn  the  "  hearts  of  the  children 
of  men,  even  as  the  rivers  of  waters  are  turned,'  he  did  not  neg- 
lect to  pray  ;  he  did  not  think  of  accomplishing  his  work  without 
prayer.  On  that  consecrated  mount  by  the  devoted  city  of  Je- 
rusalem, he  spent  whole  nights  in  holy  wrestling  with  his  Father. 
In  this,  as  in  other  things,  he  has  left  us  an  example,  that  we  should 
follow  his  steps.  The  efficacy  of  prayer  is  strikingly  illustrated 
in  the  case  of  the  disciples  soon  after  they  had  beheld  their  di- 
vine Master  ascend  into  heaven.  From  Olivet,  they  returned 
into  the  city  ;  "  they  went  up  into  an  upper  room,"  and  there 
they  "  all  continued  with  one  accord  in  prayer  and  supplication, 
with  the  women,  and  Mary  the  mother  of  Jesus,  and  with  his 
brethren."  Immediately  after  this,  Peter  goes  out  and  preaches 
to  the  hardened  Jews.  The  windows  of  heaven  are  opened  ;  the 
influences  of  the  Spirit  descend — in  a  single  day,  thousands  are 
converted  and  added  to  the  church.  Similar  has  been  the  effect 
of  prayer  in  every  age.  Never,  I  believe,  have  we  as  a  Society, 
or  in  smaller  companies,  set  apart  a  season  for  prayer,  which  has 
not  been  followed  by  more  or  less  of  the  operations  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  ;  some  have  been  awakened  ;  serious  impressions,  which 
have  betn  previously  made  on  the  minds  of  others,  have  been 
deepened,  and  individuals  have  been  brought  into  the  kingdom  of 
Christ.  "  The  Lord  is  not  slack  concerning  his  promise,  as 
some  men  count  slackness."  Let  us,  like  the  disciples,  continue 
in  prayer  ;  let  us,  also,  like  them,  be  be  of  one  accord.  Respect- 
ing union  in  prayer,  we  have  much  reason  to  be  encouraged.  Our 
brethren  in  other  places  unite  their  prayers  with  ours  on  occasions 
like  this.* 

Let  us  then  be  deeply  impressed  with  the  sentiment,  that  the 
work  in  which  we  are  engaged,  is  the  work  of  God  ;  that  without 
his  blessing  it  can  never  be  accomplished.  Let  us  remember,  that 
it  is  in  oiu  closets  that  we  are  to  gird  on  the  armour — that  it  is 
there,  we  must  gain  strength  to  wield  the  weapons,  to  fight  the 
battles  of  the  Lord. 

*  The  Societies  which  have  been  formed  for  the  same  object  in  Boston  and 
in  Charlestown,  Mass.,  and,  it  is  believed,  the  one  in  Charleston,  S.  C.  have 
their  quarterly  prayer  meetings  on  the  same  day  with  the  Society  in  New- 
York.  Should  other  Societies  be  formed,  it  is  hoped  that  the  prayers  of  all 
rail  at  the  same  time  ascend  as  incense,  and  minde  before  the  throne. 


38 

"  Satan  trembles  when  he  sees 
The  weakest  saint  upon  his  knees." 

If  we  can  engage  God  to  be  with  us,  we  need  not  tear.  "  More 
are  they  that  are  with  us  than  they  that  are  against  us.1'  Tnough 
the  enemy  should  come  in  like  a  flood,  "  the  Lord  will  lift  up  a 
standard  against  him."  Before  we,  in  any  way,  engage  in  this 
holy  warfare  ;  especially,  before  we  visit  the  habitations  of  the 
poor  and  vicious,  let  us,  with  our  Bibles  and  Tracts,  retire  to  our 
closets,  and  there  endeavour  to  gain  some  idea  of  the  magnitude  of 
the  work — of  the  wretched  state  of  those,  whom  we  are  about  to 
visit  ;  and,  in  view  of  their  present  misery  and  that  to  which  they 
are  approaching ;  in  view  of  that  great  day,  when  we  shall  meet 
them  at  the  bar  of  God,  and  in  view  of  our  own  insufficiency,  let 
us  lift  up  our  hearts  to  God  for  his  Spirit  to  prepare  the  way  be- 
fore us,  and  render  the  means  effectual :  There  let  rivers  of  waters 
pun  down  because  of  the  slain  of  the  daughter  of  God's  people — 
there  let  us  mourn  over  the  ravages  of  sin,  the  desolations  of  Zion  ; 
and  while  we  look  around  upon  the  slain,  and  ask,  with  heartfelt 
solicitude, 

"  And  can  these  mould'ring  corpses  live, 
And  can  these  perish'd  bones  revive — " 

Let  us,  with  holy  importunate  resignation,  exclaim  : 

"  That  mighty  God  to  thee  is  known, 
That  mighty  work  is  all  thine  own. 

— if  thy  Spirit  deign  to  breathe, 
Life  spreads  through  all  the  realms  of  death, 
Dry  bones  obey  thy  powerful  voice, 
They  move,  they  waken,  they  rejoice." 

We  have  now  given  some  account  of  this  new  missionary  held, 
and  pointed  out  some  of  the  ways  in  which  it  is  to  be  cultivated. 
Many  considerations  present  themselves  as  motives  to  urge  us  to 
great  and  persevering  efforts. 

1.  The  command  of  God.  The  parable  usually  styled  the 
Gospel  Supper,  represents  the  great  plan  of  redeeming  mercy. 
When  those,  who  were  first  bidden,  refused  to  come,  the  servants 
were  commanded  by  Christ,  the  master  of  the  feast,  to  go  out  into 
the  highways  and  hedges,  and  compel  those  who  were  found  there 
to  come  in.  The  servants  doubtless  represent  those  who  are  em- 
ployed in  extending  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel  to  the  destitute  ; 
and  the  destitute,  especially  the  poor,  are  represented  by  those 
who  are  in  the  highways  and  hedges.  "  Go  out  quickly  into  the 
highways  and  hedges  and  compel  them  to  come  in."  Here  we 
have  a  plain  absolute  command  of  Christ,  addressed  directly  to 
his  people.  Obedience  is  a  test  of  Christian  character.  "  If  ye 
love  me,"  says  Christ,  w'  keep  my  commandments."  That  man 
deceives  himself  with  a  name  to  live  while  he  is  dead,  who  doe* 


39 

not  esteem  it  his  duty,  his  privilege,  his  glory  to  obey.  We  might 
here  show  how  that  other  command  of  Christ,  "  Go  into  all  the  world 
and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature,"  bears  directly  on  this 
subject,  and  can  never  be  obeyed  till  the  Gospel  is  preached  to 
the  poor.  We  might  mention  other  commands  of  the  same  im- 
port ;  but  with  Christians  one  command  is  sufficient :  a  "  thus 
saith  the  Lord,"  cannot  fail  to  bow  the  will,  to  reach  the  heart, 
and  call  into  action  the  energies  of  every  child  of  God. 

Intimately  connected  with  this,  preaching  the  Gospel  to  the 
poor  is  an  essential  part  of  the  Christian  religion.  When  John 
sent  his  disciples  to  Christ,  that  they  might  be  convinced,  that  he 
was  the  true  Messiah,  he  points  them  to  certain  parts  of  his  sys- 
tem as  evidences  that  it  was  divine.  After  informing  them,  "  that 
the  blind  receive  their  sight ;  the  lame  walk  ;  the  lepers  are 
cleansed;  the  deaf  hear;  the  dead  are  raised  up;"  he  com- 
pletes the  climax  by  adding,  "  and  the  poor  have  the  Gospel 
preached  to  them."  Glorious  system,  worthy  of  its  divine  Au- 
thor !  Those  systems  of  pride  and  self-aggrandizement  of  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  and  of  the  Heathen,  are  shrouded  in  dark- 
ness, while  this  is  surrounded  with  the  splendour  of  heaven. 

If  the  account  here  given  of  the  religion  of  Jesus,  is  correct, 
then  that  religion,  which  does  not  provide  means  for  the  salva- 
tion of  the  poor,  is  not  the  religion  of  Christ.  These  two 
evidences,  the  working  of  miracles  and  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel  to  the  poor,  were  at  that  time  sufficient  to  satisfy  men  of 
serious  inquiry,  that  the  religion  of  Christ  was  divine.  These 
evidences  were  given  by  our  Saviour  himself.  Miracles  have 
ceased,  but  as  we  always  have  the  poor  with  us,  we  may  always 
be  able  to  convince  the  inquiring,  and  stop  the  mouths  of  gain- 
sayers,  by  showing  them  that  the  poor  have  the  Gospel  preached 
to  them. 

The  religion  of  the  Gospel  is  designed  for  the  world.  It  is 
therefore  designed  for  the  poor ;  for  a  great  portion  of  the  world 
are  poor.  It  is  the  religion  of  the  soul,  and  the  souls  of  the  poor 
are  as  valuable  as  those  of  the  rich.  Do  we  need  any  thing  to 
give  greater  authority  and  glory  to  this  system  ;  we  have  the  ex- 
ample of  our  blessed  Redeemer.  His  life  was  a  comment  on  his 
system,  which  sheds  about  it  a  divine  lustre.  It  was  among  the 
poor  that  he  delighted  to  labour, —  it  was  to  them,  that  he  con- 
tinually preached  the  Gospel.  Their  wants  he  delighted  to  sup- 
ply ;   their  diseases  to  heal  ;  their  souls  to  save. 

On  reviewing  the  commands,  the  precepts,  and  the  example  of  our 
Saviour,  in  relation  to  the  poor,  will  it  not  appear  that  they  have  been 
too  much  neglected  by  Christians  ?  Is  not  this  a  stain  on  our  religion  ! 
Are  not  the  evidences  of  its  divinity  obscured  ?  When,  from  some 
distant  part  of  our  country  and  of  the  world,  our  fellow  men  shall 
come  to  inquire  concerning  our  religion,  can  we  say,  that  the  poor 
generally  have  the  gospel  preached  to  them  ?    Have  wc  been  into 


4(J 

the  highways  and  hedges  ?  Have  we,  in  this  respect,  followed  the 
example  of  our  Redeemer?  Has  not  God  placed  the  poor  of  this 
city  particularly  under  our  care, — and  does  not  a  regard  to  our 
Christian  character— do  not  our  covenant  vows  require,  that  we 
should  share  with  them  the  rich,  the  heavenly  treasures,  which  we 
have  so  freely  and  so  abundantly  received. 

2.  The  Christian's  own  happiness  and  growth  in  grace.  The 
spirit  of  God  has  testified,  that  "  it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to 
receive,"  to  do  good  to  others  than  to  gain  it  at  their  hands. 
There  is  a  pleasure  in  doing  good,  which  can  be  known  only  to 
him  by  whom  it  is  felt.  To  enjoy  religion  in  their  own  souls, 
Christians  must  do  the  will  of  God  ;  they  must  find  their  pleasure 
in  the  same  way  in  which  He  found  it,  whom  they  profess  to  fol- 
low, whose  meat  and  drink  it  was  to  do  the  will  of  his  Father.  So 
far  as  we  are  employed  in  doing  good  from  right  motives,  so  far  we 
resemble  Christ,  and  no  further — so  much  do  we  possess  of  the 
spirit  of  the  gospel,  and  so  much  may  wre  expect  of  its  consolations, 
and  no  more.  It  is  the  consciousness  of  doing  good  to  the  bodies 
and  souls  of  men,  from  a  desire  to  glorify  God,  that  fills  and  swells 
the  soul.  Compared  with  this,  what  are  the  pleasures  of  sense  ? 
All  the  titles  and  honours  which  men  can  bestow,  nay  the  praise, 
the  admiration  of  the  world  is  poor,  when  compared  with  the 
"  God  bless  you  !"  that  vibrates  upon  the  ear,  and  penetrates  the 
heart,  as  you  retire  from  the  abodes  of  poverty  and  wretchedness, 
conscious  that  no  one  with  whom  you  are  acquainted  sees  you,  but 
your  God,  and  that  what  you  have  done  will  be  unknown  till  the 
great  day  of  account. 

It  is  a  glorious  principle  of  our  religion,  that  the  more  the  pos- 
sessor imparts  to  others,  the  more  his  own  stock  is  increased. 
"  Cast  thy  bread  upon  the  waters  and  thou  shalt  find  it  after  many 
days."  "  He  that  watereth,  shall  himself  be  watered."  "  Sell 
what  thou  hast  and  give  to  the  poor,  and  thou  shalt  have  treasure 
in  heaven.1'  Go,  Christians,  spread  abroad  those  treasures  which 
God  has  given  you  ;  convert  them  into  Bibles  and  Tracts,  and 
other  means  of  grace  ;  convey  them,  with  your  own  hands,  to  your 
neighbours,  who  are  perishing  for  them,  and  let  your  prayers  ascend 
to  the  throne  of  grace  for  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  ;  and  those 
treasures,  like  the  widow's  oil  and  flour,  will  increase  ;  those  in- 
fluences, will,  like  the  gentle  dew,  descend  upon  your  own  soul  ; 
the  Sun  of  righteousness  will  shine,  in  all  his  quickening  power; 
the  seeds  of  grace  will  spring  up  and  flourish,  and  blossom  and 
bear  fruit  more  abundantly  to  the  glory  of  God.  Accordingly, 
all  who  have  been  eminent  for  piety,  have  been  eminent  for 
doing  good,  for  active  benevolence,  or,  have  manifested  the  spirit 
which  would  have  prompted  them  to  act,  if  circumstances  had 
permitted.  A  narrow,  contracted,  selfish  spirit  is  not  the  spirit  of 
the  gospel,  and  wherever  it  exists  it  blights  the  Christian  graces. 

Wealth  and  influence  ou^ht  not  to  prove,  as  they  often  do,  the 


41 

means  of  lukewarmness  and  declension  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  the 
means  of  growth  in  grace,  of  the  increase  of  holiness  and  happi- 
ness, both  in  this,  and  in  the  world  to  come.  These  things  will 
enable  the  Christian  more  extensively  to  imitate  the  example  of 
his  Saviour.  Though  he  cannot  create  bread,  he  can  feed  the 
hungry ;  though  he  cannot  cause  the  wool  and  the  flax  to  grow,  he 
can  clothe  the  naked  ;  though  he  cannot  heal  the  sick,  he  can  contri- 
bute totheircomfort,can,by  his  sympathy  and  his  kind  offices,  dimin- 
ish their  sufferings,  can  point  them  to  the  great  Physician,  and  to  the 
"  balm  of  Gilead  ;" — though  he  cannot  snatch  from  the  jaws  of  death, 
he  may  be  the  instrument  of  smoothing  "  the  passage  to  the  tomb," 
may  bend  over  the  dying  body,  may  whisper  the  consolations  of 
the  gospel,  may  commend  the  departing  spirit  to  the  Saviour  of 
sinners.  What  is  all  the  happiness  which  this  world  can  afford, 
compared  with  one  heavenly  smile  from  that  poor  departing  soul, 
who  feels,  and  blesses  God,  that  you  have  been  the  instrument  of 
converting  him  from  the  "error  of  his  ways,"  of  supporting  him 
under  his  trials,  of  directing  him  to  the  blood  of  Jesus,  of  opening 
to  his  view  the  bright  prospects  of  immortal  glory  !  Visiting  the 
poor,  the  ignorant,  the  vicious,  the  afflicted,  and  the  dying,  will 
make  the  Christian  contented  with  the  allotments  of  providence  in 
respect  of  himself — will  afford  him  striking  evidence  of  the  de- 
pravity of  the  human  heart  ;  and  cause  him  to  exclaim,  with  his 
oul  glowing  with  gratitude  to  God,  "  Who  maketh"  me  "  to  dif- 
fer ?''     "  By  the  grace   of  God  I  am  what  I  am." 

How  many  Christians,  when  casting  their  eyes  over  some  pagan 
field  whitened  with  the  bones  of  devoted  victims  ;  when  reading  the 
history  of  some  self-denying  missionary  ;  when  tracing  the  footsteps 
of  a  Brainerd,  a  Buchanan,  a  Newell,  have  desired  to  share  with 
them  the  trials,  the  joy,  and  the  glory  of  their  work  !  But  Provi- 
dence has  so  ordered  their  circumstances,  that  they  cannot  go. 
They  need  not  go.  They  are  already  in  a  field  which  is  "  white 
to  the  harvest."  They  may  engage  in  the  same  glorious  work, 
and  still  enjoy  all  the  sweets  of  home. 

3.  The  interests  of  civil  society  require  that  these  efforts  should 
be  made.  We  trust  that  it  is  not  to  be  determined,  at  this  day, 
whether  good  morals  and  the  best  interests  of  society  are  insepara- 
bly connected,  or  whether  good  morals  are  the  genuine,  the  cer- 
tain, fruit  of  the  christian  religion,  and  of  that  only.  We  will  then 
suppose,  that  according  to  the  influence  exerted  by  the  gospel, 
sound  morals  will  exist,  and,  consequently,  the  best  interests  of 
civil  society  be  promoted. 

Almost  all  the  sufferings  of  the  poor  in  this,  and  other  cities,  are 
the  immediate  effect  of  ignorance  or  vice.  Of  the  truth  of  this 
assertion  any  one  may  be  satisfied,  by  becoming  acquainted  with 
the  state  of  the  poor  as  they  reside  among  other  people,  or  by  visit- 
ing hospitals,  prisons,  and  alms-houses.  An  alms-house,  in  another 

F 


12 

city ,  was  sometime  t>ince  visited,  and  from  a  particular  inquiry  into 
the  former  circumstances  and  character  of  its  inhabitants,  it  was 
ascertained,  that  not  less  than  nine-tenths  of  them  came  to  that 
place  in  consequence  of  their  own  ignorance  or  vice  ;  and  of  the 
remaining  tenth,  the  greater  part,  in  consequence  of  the  wicked- 
ness of  others.     The  same  is  probably  true  of  this  city. 

It  is  not  an  opinion  hastily  formed,  nor  is  it  altogether  singular, 
that  many  charitable  institutions,  or  institutions  for  affording  pe- 
cuniary or  other  equivalent  aid  to  the  indigent,  exert,  on  the 
whole,  an  unhappy  influence  on  society.  Is  it  not  true,  that,  by 
these  institutions,  designed  for  the  best  of  purposes,  provision  is 
in  fact  made  for  idleness  and  other  vices  ?  If  people  believe, 
that  they  shall  be  relieved  when  in  distress,  they  will  not  gene- 
rally make  exertions,  will  not  labour  when  they  are  able  and  have 
the  opportunity.  According  to  their  views  of  things,  they  have  no 
inducement  to  labour,  or  make  provision  for  a  time  of  need.  This 
induces  idleness,  and  idleness  is  the  parent  of  vice.  In  Scotland 
there  are  no  alms-houses,  no  poor-rates.  The  consequence  is, 
the  poor  are  a  hardy,  industrious,  and,  generally,  a  moral,  class  of 
people.  Man  is  naturally  idle.  It  is  by  making  continual  efforts 
that  industry  becomes  habitual  and  pleasant.  It  is  certain,  that  it 
wrould  be  better  for  many  of  those  who  are  relieved  by  charity,  if 
no  provision  were  made  for  them  Let  it  be  known,  that  death 
or  extreme  suffering  will  be  the  consequence  of  idleness,  or  profli- 
gacy, and  the  number  of  the  idle  and  the  profligate  will  soon  be 
diminished.  Will  it  be  said,  that  there  are  many  of  the  poor 
who  are  excellent  characters,  and  who  have  been  reduced  to  a 
state  of  want  by  misfortune  ?  That  there  are  many  such  there  is 
no  doubt;  and  it  is  equally  clear,  that  they  ought  to  be  relieved; 
still  it  will  be  found,  that  most  of  them  are  in  that  state,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  immorality  of  their  connexions,  or  of  the  general 
immoral  state  of  society.  Make  society  such  as  it  should  be,  and 
such  as  it  may  be  with  the  use  of  those  means  which  God  has  ap- 
pointed, and  the  relatives  of  respectable  persons  in  distress  would 
be  able  and  disposed,  in  most  cases,  to  afford  them  all  the  assis- 
tance which  they  would  need.  Let  me  not  be  understood  to  speak 
against  charitable  institutions  of  this  nature,  or  to  intimate,  that 
the  afflicted,  of  whatever  character  they  may  be,  ought  not  to  be 
relieved.  Many  such  institutions  are  noble  monuments  of  chris- 
tian benevolence,  it  is  only  necessary,  that  they  should  be  so 
managed  that  they  shall  not  be  made  the  occasion  of  sin  and  of 
greater  misery. 

It  is  not  in  the  power  of  man  to  change  the  heart ;  but  it  is  in 
his  power  to  use  those  means,  which,  with  the  ordinary  blessing 
of  God,  will  change  the  state  of  society  ;  which  will  make  peo- 
ple in  general,  so  intelligent,  so  industrious,  so  moral,  that  they 
will  have  but  little  need  of  the  hand  of  charity  to  relieve  them,  01 
of  the  arm  of  the  civil  law  to  restrain  or  protect  them.     It  is  no' 


43 

a  little  surprising  that  civil  rulers,  after  witnessing  the  effects  of 
the  gospel,  have  not  discovered,  that  the  most  economical,  as  well 
as  the  most  effectual,  mode  of  providing  for  the  wants  of  .a  com- 
munity, is  to  supply  its  members  with  those  institutions,  the  ob- 
ject of  which  is  to  make  men  intelligent,  moral,  and  pious.  There 
are  but  [ew,  who  have  not  sufficient  physical  strength  and  natural 
abilities  to  enable  them  to  support  themselves  in  this  country,  pro- 
vided that  strength  and  those  abilities  were  properly  directed.  The. 
following  calculations  will  place  the  subject  in  a  clearer  light. 
The  poor  rates  in  Philadelphia  will  amount  this  year,  it  is  said,  to 
150,000  dollars.  If  we  take  into  the  account  the  fact,  that  there 
are  between  12  and  13  hundred  more  persons  licensed  to  sell  ar- 
dent spirits  by  the  small  quantity,  in  this  city  than  in  Philadel- 
phia, and,  also,  that  the  population  is  probably  greater,  it  is  not 
unreasonable  to  suppose,  that  the  poor  rates  of  New-York  will 
amount  to  200,000  dollars.  Allowing  a  minister  of  the  gospel  a 
salary  of  1000  dollars,  and  a  teacher  a  salary  of  500  dollars,  this 
sum  would  support  200  ministers  and  400  teachers.  But  what  are 
styled  the  poor-rates,  is  but  a  small  part  of  the  expense  of  sup- 
porting the  poor.  The  committee  appointed  to  supply  the  wants; 
of  the  poor,  during  the  late  inclement  season,  estimated,  that 
there  were  15,000  citizens  supported  by  charity.  If  each  indi- 
vidual should  have  an  annual  allowance  of  50  dollars,  the  whole 
expense  of  the  15,000  would  be  750,000  dollars.  This,  allowing 
the  above  salaries,  would  support  750  ministers  and  1500  teach- 
ers. Allowing  each  pauper  100  dollars,  the  whole  expense  of  the 
poor  would  be  1,500,000  dollars,  which  would  support  1500  minis- 
ters and  3000  teachers.  Allowing  a  bible  to  cost  75  cents,  and 
tracts  to  cost  at  the  rate  of  1  cent  for  every  ten  pages,  it  would 
purchase  1,875,000  bibles,  and  1,500,000,000  pages  of  tracts  for 
charitable  distribution.  The  annual  expense  of  the  Aims-House  fs 
about  80,000  dollars.  This  would  annually  build  four  churches,  at 
20,000  dollars  each,  or  eight  at  10,000  dollars  each.  Allowing 
a  minister  1000  dollars,  it  would  support  80  ministers  of  tb<- 
gospel. 

In  the  Seventh  Ward  there  are  between  2  and  300  persons  li- 
censed to  sell  ardent  spirits  by  the  small  quantity  :  we  will  sup- 
pose there  are  220.  Supposing  each  one  to  sell  every  day  to 
the  amount  of  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents,  the  ardent  spirits  annu- 
ally sold  in  the  Seventh  Ward  will  amount  to  200,750  dollars. 
This  would  employ  in  that  ward,  200  ministers,  or  400  teach- 
ers. It  would  annually  build  twenty  decent  churches — pur- 
chase 267,666  bibles— and  200,750,000  pages  of  tracts.  All 
the  ardent  spirits  sold  in  the  city,  would,  at  this  rate,  build  an- 
nually 135  churches — support  1358  ministers — 2710  teachers — 
purchase  1,811,616  bibles— or  1,358,712,500  pages  of  tracts. 
No  one  will  doubt  that  such  a  number  of  faithful  ministers  or 
'eachers  employed — such  a  number  of  churches  built — such  a  nunv 


44 

ber  of  bibles  or  tracts  distributed,  would  produce  a  great  change 
in  the  moral  state  of  the  city.  But  intemperance  is  but  one  vice. 
We  must  take  into  the  account  idleness,  gambling,  profligacy, 
and  other  vices,  which  consume  property,  and  which  would  be 
removed,  were  the  people  enlightened,  industrious,  and  moral. 

It  is  an  opinion,  which  has  been  formed  and  confirmed  by  the 
observation  of  facts,  that  christians  have  erred  with  respect  to  the 
subject  of  charity.  The  great  object  seems  to  have  been,  to  re- 
lieve existing  distress,  instead  of  preventing  it.  But  we  never 
can  make  our  fellow  men  happy  till  the  cause  of  their  sufferings 
is  removed.  If  we  would  make  the  fruit  good,  we  must  make 
the  tree  good.  If  we  can  make  a  profligate  man  sober  and  indus- 
Irious,  we  more  effectually  provide  for  his  family,  than  we  should 
by  bestowing  thousands  of  gold  and  silver  Let  there  be  a  great 
effort  to  change  the  moral  character  of  mankind,  to  remove  the 
cause  of  their  sufferings  ;  let  them  be  supplied  with  those  means 
of  reformation  and  salvation,  which  God  has  appointed  ;  let  the 
proper  influence  of  the  gospel  be  exerted,  and,  if  prisons,  and 
hospitals,  and  alms-houses,  do  not  cease  to  exist,  their  dimensions 
will  be  small,  their  inhabitants  few. 

As  another  motive  to  these  exertions,  we  mention, 
4.  The  interests  of  the  church.  That  field  at  which  we 
have  glanced  is  of  great  extent  ;  it  is  covered  with  thorns  and 
briers  ;  it  has  hitherto  brought  forth  the  "  grapes  of  Sodom  and 
the  clusters  of  Gomorrah."  Is  it  not  for  the  interests  of  the  church 
that  it  should  be  cultivated  ;  that  the  seeds  of  grace  should  be 
sown  ;  that  trees  of  righteousness  should  spring  up  and  bear  fruit ; 
that  it  should  become  as  Eden  ?  Is  it  not  important,  that,  in  the 
midst  of  these  70  or  80  thousand  souls,  70  or  80  temples  to  the 
living  God  should  rise  ;  70  or  80  new  congregations  and  churches 
be  formed  ;  that,  to  those  already  employed,  60  or  70  faithful 
ministers  of  the  gospel  should  be  added  ? 

It  is  not,  however,  the  salvation  of  the  present  generation 
merely,  which  is  concerned  ;  but  that  of  thousands  of  their  pos- 
terity. Should  the  population  increase  in  the  same  proportion 
for  twenty  years  to  come,  as  it  did  between  1800  and  1810,  the 
increase  alone  will  be  136,000,  and  will  require  therefore  136 
additional  churches,  that  there  maybe  one  church  to  a  thousand. 
If  we  suppose  that  60  churches  are  now  wanting,  there  must  be 
erected  within  twenty  years  196  churches,  that  there  may  be  in 
this  city  one  church  to  a  thousand  souls.  But  our  cities  have  an 
extensive  influence  on  the  surrounding  country.  We  have  already 
stated,  that  they  afford  a  place  of  resort  for  those  who  wish  to  live 
without  restraint.  It  is  not  uncommon  for  those  who  have 
lived  in  the  city  to  return  into  the  country,  carrying  with  them 
vices,  which  taint  the  morals  of  a  whole  neighbourhood.  There 
are  some  towns  where  the  inhabitants  have  been  corrupted  by 
their  intercourse  with  some  of  our  large  cities,  in  such  a  manner 


45 

as  to  make  it  evident  to  all  who  are  acquainted  with  them.  Young 
persons  frequently  come  to  this  city,  and  are  destroyed  by  their  ex- 
posure to  temptation.  It  is  notorious,  that  there  are  certain  vil- 
lages not  far  distant,  which  supply  a  considerable  number  of  vic- 
tims to  that  vice,  which  has  caused  the  heart  of  many  a  parent 
to  bleed. 

Cities  exert  an  influence  on  the  people  of  the  country,  who  are 
not  so  immediately  connected  with  them.  The  single  subject  of 
fashions  will  show  the  correctness  of  this  remark.  In  things  of 
greater  consequence,  cities  are  looked  up  to  as  examples,  and 
give  character  to  the  country.  How  immensely  important,  that 
they  should  be  free  from  ignorance,  error,  and  immorality  !  that 
they  should  set  an  example  of  holiness  and  of  every  good  work  ! 

As  we  advance,  however,  the  subject  rises  in  importance.  We 
must  extend  our  views  beyond  the  limits  of  the  city  and  of  our 
own  country.  The  subject  is  peculiarly  important,  on  account  of 
its  connexion  with  the  great  Missionary  cause.  Among  the  obsta- 
cles which  have  hitherto  prevented  the  universal  spread  of  the 
gospel,  we  find  that  the  prejudices  which  the  Heathen  entertain 
against  it,  hold  a  conspicuous  place. 

The  number  of  heathen  who  visit  our  cities  is  not  large.  A 
few,  however,  are  sufficient  to  bear  evil  tidings  to  millions  of 
their  countrymen.  A  few  months  since,  a  vessel  came  to  this 
port  from  Calcutta,  which  was  manned  by  more  than  40  of  the 
natives  of  Hindoostan,  a  part  of  the  world  where  missionaries 
are  now  stationed.  Some,  and  perhaps  all  of  them,  had  heard 
oi  Christianity  ;  had  been  informed,  that  it  was  the  best  religion  in 
the  world  ;  that  it  made  men  good  and  happy.  What  did  they  wit- 
ness ?  they  fell  in  company  with  the  vilest  class  of  people — they 
were  conducted  to  haunts  of  vice,  even  on  the  Sabbath — they  en- 
gaged, with  those  whom  they  supposed  to  be  christians,  in  the  most 
abominable  wickedness — they  probably  did  not  see  an  act  of  re- 
ligious worship  rendered  to  the  true  God,  or  hear  the  name  of 
Jesus,  except  from  the  lips  of  the  profane.  Judging,  as  the 
heathen  do,  of  a  religion  from  the  effects  which  they  witness, 
with  what  views  of  Christianity  must  they  have  retired  from  our 
shores  ?  When  they  mingle  with  their  countrymen,  what  intelli- 
gence will  they  communicate?  What  will  they  exhibit  as  the 
fruits  of  the  "  land  of  promise  ?"  Is  it  not  morally  certain,  that  they, 
as  well  as  their  countrymen,  will  regard  our  missionaries  as 
impostors  ?  that  their  prejudices  against  Christianity  and  in  fa- 
vour of  idolatry,  will  be  strengthened  and  confirmed?  On  the 
contrary,  suppose  this  city  had  been,  at  that  time,  a  city  of  right- 
eousness— that  all  with  whom  they  associated  had  been  pious,  or 
even  moral — that  they  had  witnessed  the  genuine  effects  of  the 
gospel;  with  what  different  impressions  and  tidings  would  they 
have  returned  to  their  own  country  ?     If  they  had  not  loved,  they 


46 

would  have  respected  christians  ;  if  they  had  not  embraced,  they 
would  have  reverenced  the  religion  of  Christ.  Could  our  missiona- 
ries appeal  to  some  of  the  heathen,  to  testify  to  the  blessed  ef- 
fects of  the  gospel,  with  what  increased  force  could  they  exhibit 
its  claims  on  their  belief,  their  love,  and  their  obedience  !  Pagans 
from  other  parts  of  the  world  visit  our  cities — witness  similar 
scenes,  and  return,  doubtless,  with  similar  impressions  and  intel- 
ligence. 

Our  cities  have  an  intimate  connexion  with  the  heathen,  by 
means  of  our  seamen.  At  present  they  are  a  barrier  to  the  spread 
of  the  gospel ;  a  screen  which  intercepts  the  rays  of  the  Sun  of 
righteousness.  When  they  visit  pagan  countries,  as  thousands  of 
them  do  every  year,  they  not  only  join  in  all  the  wickedness  of 
the  heathen,  but  teach  them  new  vices.  To  their  superior  cun- 
ning the  heathen  become  an  easy  prey,  and  are  not  unfrequently 
robbed  of  their  property,  their  children  and  friends.  Sailors 
sometimes  take  up  their  abode  in  pagan  countries,  that  they  may 
acquire  wealth  and  be  free  from  the  restraints  of  the  gospel.  A 
part  of  the  crew  of  the  ship,  which  transported  the  first  missiona- 
ries to  the  South  Sea  Islands,  settled  there,  and  are  supposed  to 
have  been  the  principal  reason  why  their  efforts  were,  for  so  long 
a  time,  attended  with  no  more  success.  Several  gentlemen,  who 
have  visited  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  some,  who  have  for  a 
time  resided  there,  are  of  opinion,  that  opposition  from  wicked 
English  and  American  settlers,  and  the  prejudices  which  they 
have  excited,  would  constitute  the  principal  obstacle  in  the  way 
of  introducing  Christianity  among  the  natives.  It  is  owing  in  a 
great  measure  to  the  same  cause,  that  the  efforts  to  christianize  the 
aborigines  of  our  own  country  have  proved  so  ineffectual.  Let 
our  seamen  and  others  who  visit  the  heathen  become  pious  ;  and 
instead  of  contradicting  the  glad  tidings  which  our  missionaries 
publish;  instead  of  destroying  the  effect  of  their  labours,  they 
will  become  a  powerful  weapon  in  their  hands.  It  is  through  the 
medium  of  christian  example  that  the  heathen  discern  the  light  of 
the  gospel.  The  influence  of  our  seamen  is  not  unknown  to  the 
men  of  the  world.  A  master  of  a  vessel  which  recently  arrived, 
and  which  had  visited  one  of  our  missionary  stations,  triumphantly 
observed,  that  his  sailors  could,  in  a  few  days,  undo  all  the  work 
of  our  missionaries.  Though  we  do  not  believe  this  representa- 
tion to  be  strictly  correct,  it  is  not  without  meaning.  Let  our 
sailors  continue  vicious,  and  wherever  christians  send  one  mis- 
sionary, Satan  will  send  a  hundred  to  oppose  his  efforts. 

Should  our  seamen  become  pious,  not  only  would  a  great  ob- 
stacle be  removed,  but  the  number  of  hands  employed,  and  the 
amount  of  labour  performed  in  the  great  missionary  field,  would 
be  augmented.  Should  a  crew  land  on  a  heathen  shore,  all 
pious  ;  all  deeply  concerned  for  the  salvation  of  their  pagan 
brethren  ;  all  anxious  to  tell  them  of  that  Saviour,  who  is  the  only 


47 

hope  oflost  men — to  impart  to  them  those  treasures  of  knowledge 
and  grace  which  they  had  received,  how  would  the  darkness  re- 
tire before  them ! 

That  property,  of  which  our  seamen  earn  and  receive  no  small 
quantity,  and  which  is  now  squandered  away,  would,  doubtless, 
be  consecrated  to  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  No  men  are  so  libe- 
ral ;  none,  whose  hearts  and  hands  are  so  easily  opened;  none, 
who  have  such  a  strong  fellow-feeling  ;  none,  who  are  less  care- 
ful to  preserve  their  lives.  Were  all  consecrated  to  God,  what 
sacrifices  would  they  not  make  ;  what  hardships  would  they  not 
endure  ;  to  what  dangers  would  they  not  expose  themselves,  for 
the  salvation  of  their  fellow-men  '!  While,  in  consequence  of  ac- 
tually witnessing  the  wretched  state  of  the  heathen,  they  would 
feel  more  deeply  interested  than  other  christians,  they  would 
communicate  the  same  feeling  to  their  brethren  ;  they  would 
become  heralds,  publishing  glad  tidings  in  every  direction.  Every 
vessel,  which  arrived,  would  add  new  fuel  to  the  flame,  and 
cause  that  flame  to  spread  from  our  cities  into  the  surrounding 
country.  Who  does  not  see,  that  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands 
of  pious  men  constantly  passing,  and  repassing,  throughout  the 
world :  mingling,  now  with  christians,  now  with  the  heathen, 
would  give  a  new  and  powerful  and  lasting  impulse  to  that  great 
machine,  which  is  to  diffuse  abroad  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  ? 
They  form  the  connecting  link  between  the  christian  and  the 
heathen  wo.<ld  ;  the  channel  through  which  the  water  of  life  must 
flow  ;  the  medium  through  which  the  light  of  the  gospel  must 
shine. 

Cities  are  necessarily  the  center  of  all  the  great  operations  for 
the  salvation  of  the  heathen — the  main  spring  of  the  mighty  ma- 
chine— the  heart  of  the  world.  If  the  main  spring  be  disordered, 
the  whole  machine  is  affected  ;  if  the  heart's  blood  be  corrupted, 
the  whole  system  is  enfeebled.  It  is  from  our  cities,  also,  that 
most  of  the  property,  which  is  to  accomplish  the  great  work, 
must  be  derived  ;  and  may  we  not  hope,  that  from  the  destitute 
some  will  be  qualified  and  sent  to  preach  the  gospel  ?  It  was 
this  attention  to  the  destitute,  which,  with  the  blessing  of 
God,  sent  Buchanan  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  While  these  ex- 
ertions will  increase  a  missionary  spirit,  they  will  unite  the  hearts 
of  christians  and  ministers.  Not  only  will  seafaring  men,  and 
ethers,  who  pass  lroin  one  port  to  another,  associate  with  chris- 
tians of  different  denominations  ;  but,  in  such  a  work,  christians 
who  constantly  reside  in  the  same  place,  must  come  in  contact  j 
must  see  each  other's  faces  ;  must  "  speak  often  one  to  another." 
This  will  destroy  those  narrow,  contracted  views,  which  com- 
press the  church  of  God  into  a  sect,  and  mar  its  beauty;  it  will 
break  down  the  walls  of  separation,  and  cause  the  church  to  look 
forth  fair  "  as  the  morning,  and  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners.'* 
Every  christian  feels  that  it  would  be  desirable,  that  all  this  should 


48 

be  accomplished  :  of  its  practicability  some  may  doubt.  We  will 
therefore,  endeavour  to  show, 

5.  That  our  efforts  will  be  successful.  From  the  facts  which 
have  been  stated,  it  will  be  seen,  that  there  are  thousands  of  peo- 
ple here  of  the  same  character,  and,  as  it  respects  spiritual  things, 
in  the  same  condition,  with  those  on  our  frontiers.  Will  it  be 
said,  that  these  discover  greater  hardness  of  heart,  because  they 
might  enjoy  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  were  they  disposed  ?  This 
is  precisely  the  case  with  the  destitute  in  other  parts  of  the  coun- 
try. It  is  not  on  account  of  their  poverty,  or  any  other  natural 
difficulty,  that  they  are  thus  destitute.  In  a  county  not  far  from 
this,  there  are  thousands  in  this  situation,  and  yet  the  people  are 
comparatively  wealthy  ;  and,  had  they  been  disposed,  might  long 
since  have  enjoyed  all  the  blessings  of  the  gospel.  It  is  not  po- 
verty, it  is  not  any  natural,  but  a  moral  obstruction,  which  has 
kept  so  great  a  part  of  the  world,  for  so  many  centuries,  ignorant 
of  the  Saviour.  The  awful  stupidity  and  depravity  of  the  human 
heart,  form  the  mountain,  the  cavern,  the  gulf,  which  have  pre- 
vented the  heralds  of  the  cross  from  running  to  and  fro  through 
the  earth.  If  we  adopt  the  sentiment,  that  we  are  under  no  obli- 
gation, and  that  it  will  be  of  no  use,  to  supply,  with  the  ordinan- 
ces of  the  gospel,  those  who  are  not  disposed  to  supply  themselves, 
we  ought  to  remand  the  missionaries,  who  are  scattered  throughout 
the  destitute  parts  of  our  country.  We  have  the  same  reasons  for 
believing,  that  success  will  attend  missionary  efforts  in  the  city,  as 
we  have,  that  it  will  attend  them  in  the  country:  we  have  more, 
we  have  advantages  which  are  peculiar. 

That  missionaries  may  labour  with  permanent  success  in  remote 
parts  of  the  country,  many  things  are  necessary,  which  it  will  re- 
quire much  time,  and  trouble,  and  property  to  supply.  Schools 
must  be  established  and  supported  ;  teachers,  bibles,  and  other 
suitable  books,  must  be  obtained  from  a  distance.  Other  difficul- 
ties will  suggest  themselves  to  every  reflecting  mind  ;  all  of 
which  will  be  removed,  when  we  come  to  supply  our  neighbours 
and  fellow-citizens.  Schools  are  already  established  ;  Bibles  and 
tracts  and  other  useful  books,  at  all  times,  and  to  any  amount,, 
may  easily  be  procured. 

Christians  will  take  a  deeper  interest  in  such  a  mission  than  it 
is  possible  for  them  to  do  in  one  at  a  distance.  They  have  the 
destitute  before  them — their  feelings  will  be  excited — they  will 
contribute  more  liberally  ;  and,  what  is  all  important,  they  will  pray 
more  fervently.  Could  we  be  transported  to  the  plains  of  India  ; 
be  stationed  by  the  Funeral  Pile,  the  Altar  of  Moloch,  or  the  Car 
of  Juggernaut,  how  differently  should  we  feel  from  what  we  do 
now  ?  With  how  much  more  fervour  should  we  pray  ?  With  how 
much  more  zeal  should  we  labour?  But  if  we  view  this  subject 
in  its  proper  light,  we  shall  daily  witness  what  ought  as  sensibly 
to  affect  our  hearts.     It  is  not  more  affecting,  or  ought  not  to  be  to 


49 

christians,  to  see  their  fellow-creatures  consuming  on  tne  tuneral 
pile,  than  in  the  flame  of  their  own  passions  ;  to  see  them  sacri- 
ficed on  the  altars  of  Moloch,  than  to  see  them  slain  by  intempe- 
rance ;  to  see  children  thrown  into  the  Ganges,  than  to  see  thousands 
of  them  growing  up  to  be  cast  into  the  gulf  of  perdition.  Here 
are  funeral  piles— here  are  altars  of  Moloch — here  is  Satan's  in- 
visible car,  constantly  rolling  and  crushing  thousand*  beneath  its 
weight,  and  causing  our  streets  to  flow  with  the  blood  of  souls. 
Let  us  remember,  also,  the  more  aggravated  doom  of  these  vic- 
tims. In  a  greater  or  less  degree,  they  have  enjoyed  the  blessings 
of  the  gospel ;  they  live  where  they  might  enjoy  them  in  all  their 
fulness.  They  have  rejected  the  Saviour — they  must  sink  to  the 
lowest  hell.  With  such  a  prospect  before  him,  what  christian  will 
not  wrestle  day  and  night  at  the  throne  of  grace  ?  what  christian 
will  not  consecrate  his  property,  his  time,  his  talents,   his  life,  to 

this  glorious  work  ? But  the  principaladvantage  arises  from  the 

number  who  may  be  employed.  The  number  of  professing 
christians,  in  some  of  the  denominations,  I  have  been  able  to  as- 
certain. If  we  allow  all  the  other  congregations  to  have,  on  an 
average,  the  same  number  of  professors  as  those  congregations 
which  have  been  examined,  there  will  be,  in  the  city,  about 
13,000  professing  christians.*  Suppose  these  all  properly  engaged 
in  the  service  of  God  ;  all  employed  in  doing  good  ;  how  much 
might  be  accomplished  !  We  will  suppose  that  every  one  of  these 
professors  spends  two  hours  every  week  in  visiting  the  ignorant, 
vicious  and  afflicted,  for  the  purpose  of  distributing  Bibles  and 
Tracts,  and  doing  good  in  other  ways  :  and  suppose  that  during 
these  two  hours  six  families  were  visited,  every  professor 
would  visit,  during  the  year,  312  families,  or  make  312  visits  ;  all 
of  them  together  would  make  4,560,000.  Supposing  that  at  each 
visit  a  tract  were  given,  4,560,000  tracts  would  be  distributed. 
Surely  this  will  not  be  thought  an  unreasonable  calculation.  What 
christian  is  there  who  cannot  devote  two  hours  in  a  week,  or  two 
hours  out  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight,  in   "  going  about  doing 

*  To  ascertain  precisely  the  number  of  professors  has  not  been  in  the  power 
of  the  writer.  It  will  be  seen  that  a  few  of  the  other  statements  are  of  the 
same  general  nature.  It  would  be  singular,  if,  in  so  many  particulars,  there 
should  be  no  error.  It  is  the  opinion,  however,  of  respectable  gentlemen, 
who  have  accompanied  him,  and  others  acquainted  with  the  situation 
of  the  destitute,  that  the  statement,  so  far  from  being  exaggerated,  is  mode- 
rate. While  it  was  his  intention  to  perform  this  painful  duty,  which 
God,  in  his  providence,  assigned  to  him,  in  a  faithful  manner,  his  inclina- 
tion led  him  to  err  on  that  side,  where  every  feeling  of  the  benevolent 
mind  would  wish  the  error  to  be  found.  He  wishes  it  not  to  be  forgotten,  that 
the  destitute  are  in  a  situation  in  which  they  may  be  examined.  If  it  shall  be 
found,  from  a  similar,  or  more  faithful  examination,  that  the  moral  state  of 
the  city  is  better  than  has  been  represented,  it  will  give  him  unspeakable  joy. 
Most  of  the  facts  concerning  other  places  are  taken  from  Morse's  Geography, 
Mills  and  Smith's  Report,  Picture  of  London,  Address  of  the  Connecticut 
Charitable  Society,  &c. 


50 

good,"  directly  to  his  fellow-men  ?  Will  it  be  said,  that  those  in  the 
humble  walks  of  life  cannot  engage  in  this  work  ?  Let  me  ask,  what 
christian  so  humble,  so  ignorant,  so  poor,  that  he  cannot  give  to  a 
neighbour  a  word  of  good  advice  ;  set  before  that  neighbour  a 
holy  example  ;  or  invite  that  neighbour  to  go  to  a  sanctuary  or  a 
religious  meeting  ;  or  give  a  Bible  or  a  Tract,  when  furnished  to 
his  hands  ?  What  christian  cannot  pray  ?  What  child  cannot 
give  to  another  child  a  Catechism,  or  lead  him  to  a  Sabbath 
School,  or  to  the  house  of  God  ? 

There  is  another  consideration,  which  every  one  must  have  an- 
ticipated. In  this  field  we  have  the  advantage  of  a  numerous  class 
of  christians,  who  will  regard  this  work  as  among  the  domestic 
concerns  which  claim  their  attention.  Their  leisure,  their  charac- 
teristic sensibility,  and  the  successful  efforts  which  they  have  al- 
ready made,  need  no  remark :  it  is  sufficient  to  say,  that  in  this 
good  work,  maybe  employed  thousands  of  pious  females. In- 
stead of  being  scattered  over  a  wide  extent  of  country,  these  peo- 
ple live  together;  and  may,  therefore,  be  approached  without 
loss  of  time,  and  expense,  and  all  employed,  may  act  in  concert. 

We  have  reason  to  believe  success  will  attend  our  efforts,  from 
what  is  said  in  the  word  of  God.  The  parable  of  the  Great  Sup- 
per exhibits  our  Saviour's  views  on  this  subject.  The  rich  refused 
the  invitation  ;  but  the  poor,  those  in  the  highways  and  hedges, 
were  brought  in.  Lazarus  is  in  heaven,  Dives  in  hell.  "  It  is 
easier  for  a  camel  to  go  through  the  eye  of  a  needle,  than  for  a 
rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  It  was  among 
the  poor  that  our  Saviour  laboured,  and  it  was  the  poor,  "  the 
common  people,"  that  heard  him  gladly.  Such  has  been  the  suc- 
cess of  the  gospel  among  the  poor  in  every  age  of  the  church. 

There  is  another  reason  why  we  should  hope  for  success,  which 
ought  not  to  be  overlooked.  It  is,  that  there  appears  to  be  a  pre- 
paration of  the  heart,  a  general  desire,  to  receive  religious  instruc 
tion.  It  has  not  been  unusual  to  find  persons,  who  have  not  been 
under  the  care  of  any  spiritual  teacher,  or  attached  to  any  de- 
nomination of  christians,  deeply  exercised  in  mind.  Numbers  of 
such  have  actually  been  brought,  as  we  trust,  into  the  kingdom, 
and  joined  themselves  to  the  visible  church,  of  Christ.  Several 
cases  of  hopeful  conversion  have  recently  come  to  my  knowledge. 
May  these  be  the  first  fruits  of  an  abundant  harvest !  Though  I 
have  visited  many  hundred  families,  I  have  not  been  unkindly 
treated,  as  I  recollect,  in  a  single  instance  ;  but,  on  the  contrary, 
have  generally  been  received  with  apparent  gratitude  ;  often 
urged  and  entreated  to  call  again,  and  often  followed  into  the 
street  with  such  exclamations  as  these,  "  May  God  bless  you !" 
**  May  God  reward  you  !"  Those  of  the  most  vicious  character 
have  listened  to  instruction  and  exhortation,  not  only  with  fixed 
attention,  but  often  with  weeping.  Perhaps  it  would  not  exceed 
the  truth,  were  I  to  affirm,  that  one  half  of  the  families,  which  have 


51 

(been  thus  visited,  and  particularly  conversed  with,  have  been  left 
in  teats.  It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  notice,  that  all  the  congregations 
in  that  part  of  the  city,  have,  of  late,  rapidly  increased.  While 
exploring  parts  of  the  city,  I  have  often  indulged  the  animating 
hope,  that  the  Spirit  was  moving  "  upon  the  face  of  the  waters," 
that  God  was  preparing  the  way  for  those  Christ-like  efforts,  which 
we  earnestly  pray  he  may  excite  his  people  to  make  No  such 
effort  at  this  day  is  unblest.  Who  can  doubt  whether  that 
which  Christ  has  so  expressly  commanded,  and  sanctioned  by  his 
own  example,  will  prove  successful  ? 

[Though*  most  persons  may  allow,  that  exertions  to  enlighten  the 
ignorant  and  reform  the  vicious,  generally,  may  be  successful,  yet 
there  will  remain  certain  classes  of  the  vicious,  of  whom  they  will 
believe  there  is  no  hope.  It  is  true,  that  without  help  from  God 
we  can  do  nothing.  But  with  that  help,  we  '  can  do  all  things.'' 
We  do  not  hesitate  to  say,  that  the  receptacles  of  vice  referred  to 
can  be  broken  up,  and  that  God  has  appointed  the  means  by 
which  it  may  be  done,  and  that  it  is  the  du'y  of  Christians 
to  use  them.  There  is  a  remedy. — But  do  n-»  ,magine  that  it  is 
some  new  discovery,  which  has  not  been  divulged.  The  remedy 
has  long  since  been  prepared  in  heaven — it  has  been  divulged  by 
the  Holy  Ghost — it  is  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

Antiquity  is  the  greatest  supporter  of  that  vice,  which  is  yearly 
slaying  its  thousands.  It  is  said,  that  it  has  always  been  so  in  our 
large  cities  ;  that  they  have  always,  from  time  immemorial,  been 
thus  corrupted.  And  this  seems  to  have  satisfied  the  minds  of 
Christians.  These  places  have  been  regarded  as  a  necessary  evil. 
Christians  have  seen  and  deplored  this  state  of  things  ;  but  do  not 
seem  to  have  ever  imagined  that  it  could  be  changed. 

That  we  may  put  a  stop  to  the  progress  of  this  corruption,  there 
must  be  a  general  united  effort.  Those  men  who  keep  these 
houses  must  be  openly  attacked.  This  will  be  a  hazardous  under- 
taking. But  are  we  to  tremble  before  those  who  bear  the  mark 
of  the  beast  in  their  foreheads  :  "  whose  sins  are  open  before  hand, 
going  before  to  judgment;''  who  are  known  to  be  in  close  alliance 
with  Satan  ;  whose  very  dwellings  are  the  avenues  to  his  domin- 
ions ?  With  such  men  we  are  to  declare  open  war.  We  are  to 
seize  with  holy  violence  the  sword  of  the  civil  law  and  the  sword 
of  the  Spirit.  We  are  to  follow  them  to  their  abodes  of  darkness, 
and  bring  them  forth  to  the  light  ; — we  are  to  carry  destruction  into 
their  camp.  That  much  may  be  done  by  the  civil  law  is  certain. 
A  magistrate,  a  few  years  since,  assisted  by  only  one  of  his  as- 
sociates, drove  hundreds  of  these  vile  persons  to  a  distant  part  of 
the  city.  Many  of  them  know  him  to  this  day,  and  tremble  vvhed 
they  see  him.  If  one  or  two  individual  magistrates  could  effect 
this,  what  might  not  all  united  accomplish,  especially,  if  supported 
and  aided  by  the  whole  moral  and  religious  community. 

An  asylum  must   be  provided,  to  whirh  <Iiosp  who  are  disposed" 


52 

may  resort.  It  will  perhaps  be  said,  that  such  an  asylum  was  once 
provided  in  this  city,  and  found  ineffectual.  With  the  management 
of  that  institution  I  am  wholly  unacquainted.  But  to  be  success- 
ful, an  asylum  must  be  conducted  in  such  a  manner,  that  those  who 
resort  to  it  shall  not  feel  themselves  to  be  in  a  prison.  It  must  be 
as  comfortable  as  it  can  be  made,  both  for  body  and  mind.  It 
must  be  an  asylum  from  disgrace  as  well  as  wretchedness.  Of 
those  who  have  resided  for  years  in  these  abodes  of  darkness,  we 
have  not  so  much  hope  :  but  of  persons  as  young  as  some  of  them 
are  ;  of  those  who  have  fled  to  such  places  as  a  refuge  from  disgrace, 
we  think  there  is  much  hope,  even  from  such  an  institution.  In 
England,  many,  by  this  means,  have  been  rescued  from  infamy  and 
death  ;  have  been  restored  to  their  friends,  and  lived,  and  ultimate- 
ly died,  respected. 

We  must  not  only  provide  for  them  a  pleasant  retreat,  but  we 
must  make  the  places  of  their  resort  unpleasant.  If  they  flee  from 
the  asylum  and  from  one  house  to  another,  or  from  one  city  to  an- 
other, they  must  be  followed.  While  engaged  in  this  wickedness, 
give  them  no  peace.  Plant  thorns  and  daggers  before  them,  which 
shall  pierce  them  every  step  they  take  in  this  highway  to  hell. 
But  if  at  any  time  they  manifest  a  disposition  to  retrace  their  steps, 

strew  their  paths   with  flowers. But  this  is  not  sufficient.   The 

same  means  are  to  be  used  with  them  as  with  other  classes  of  the 
destitute.  The  Bible  and  Tracts  must  be  put  into  their  hands, 
and  the  Gospel  must  be  preached  to  them.  Some  may  smile  at 
the  idea  of  preaching  the  Gospel  to  such  creatures.  But  why  not 
preach  the  Gospel  to  them  ?  We  preach  it  to  the  rich  worldling 
and  to  the  self-righteous  Pharisee,  and  do  we  not  read,  that  "  pub- 
licans and  harlots  shall  go  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven"  before  such  ? 
Did  not  Christ  preach  the  Gospel  to  persons  of  this  description  ? 

Is  not  a  Mary  Magdalene  in  heaven  ? When  labouring  in  parts  of 

the  city  where  they  reside,  we  have  been  called  to  visit  them 
when  sick  and  dying,  and  never  have  we  witnessed  such  scenes  of 
distress  of  mind.  We  have  frequently  addressed  a  room  full  on 
such  an  occasion,  and  never  without  seeing  much  tenderness  ;  fre- 
quently almost  all  have  been  drowned  in  tears,  and  some  of  them 
have  cried  out  in  the  most  affecting  manner. 

By  the  influence  of  the  magistrate  above  alluded  to,  a  ball-room 
was,  about  a  year  ago,  obtained  in  a  neighbourhood  where  there  were 
supposed  to  be  several  hundreds  of  such  persons,  for  the  purpose  of 
preaching  to  them  on  the  sabbath.  The  number  that  attended,  con- 
stantly increased  (ill  the  room  was  closed  by  the  owner.  We  have 
since  learned,  that  his  neighbours  of  the  same  craft  complained  of  him 
and  obliged  him  to  close  his  room,  lest  the  hope  of  their  gain  should 
be  taken  away.  We  are  not  without  evidence,  that  one  or  two  have 
become  true  penitents  on  a  dying  bed,  have  been  washed  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  are  now  joined  to  better  society  in  a  bet- 
ter world. 


53 

There  are  those  who,  on  another  account,  regard  this  vice  as  a 
necessary  evil ;  who  feel,  that  were  those  places  of  resort  broken 
up,  their  dearest  friends  would  be  in  danger.  Has  it  then  come  to 
this,  that  we  must  endanger  what  is  dearer  than  life,  by  putting  a 
stop  to  the  grossest  and  most  daring  iniquity  ?  Must  these  sinks 
of  pollution  remain,  or  must  we  have  wolves  and  tigers  prowling 
our  streets?  Must  we  let  go  and  suffer  the  flood  to  pour  in  upon 
us  without  opposition?  Is  an  evil  of  this  kind,  to  be  lessened  by 
giving  it  the  sanction  of  public  opinion,  by  removing  all  restraints 
and  presenting  every  possible  temptation*  ?  The  objection  is 
founded  in  ignorance  of  human  nature.  A  thousand  are  now  de- 
stroyed where  one  would  be,  provided  such  places  were  unknown. 
One  fact  on  this  subject. — As  the  worthy  gentleman  above  referred 
to  and  myself  were  one  Sabbath  in  the  upper  part  of  the  city,  a 
person  came  out  of  a  house,  apparently  in  ^reat  haste,  and  entreat- 
ed us  to  go  in  and  see  one  of  her  friends,  who  she  said  was  dying.  As 
we  entered  the  door,  we  observed  a  middle  aged  lady  genteelly 
dressed  and  of  very  respectable  appearance,  whom  we  at  first  sup- 
posed to  be  a  Manager  of  some  charitable  institution,  that  had 
come  there  to  afford  relief  to  the  distressed.  She  retired  and  sat 
down  in  another  part  of  the  room,  while  we  addressed  those  who 
surrounded  the  sick  person,  who  at  that  time  was  deprived  of  her 
reason.  After  addressing  them  for  some  time  and  praying  with 
them,  I  turned  to  a  young  man  who  stood  at  the  foot  of  the  bed, 
and  spoke  to  him,  in  a  low  tone  of  voice,  on  the  subject  of  reli- 
gion. The  lady,  who  before  had  appeared  much  distressed,  una- 
ble to  contain  herself  any  longer,  arose,  and  clasping  her  hands, 
cried  out  in  the  most  heart-rending  manner,  O  !  that's  my  son !  my 
son  !  my  dear  son  ! — The  son  had  become  a  companion  of  the  vile, 
— the  mother  had  followed  him  to  this  house  of  death,  to  persuade 
him  to  return  to  the  bosom  of  his  friends.  A  list  of  additional 
facts  might  be  recited,  which  would  make  the  ears  of  parents  and 
friends  to  tingle.  Let  us  not  forget,  that  in  destroying  these  habi- 
tations of  cruelty,  we  must  have  help  from  God —  "  this  kind  goeth 
not  out  but  by  prayer  arid  fasting."  Let  all  who  feel  for  the  wel- 
fare of  the  rising  generation  and  the  spread  of  the  Gospel,  awake 
to  this  subject.  Let  it  no  more  be  reiterated,  that  our  cities  have  al- 
ways been  thus  corrupt.  If  this  is  to  be  repeated  from  generation  to 
generation,  and  to  have  its  palsying  influence,  our  cities  must,  ac- 
cording to  the  ordinary  providence  of  God,  remain  corrupt  till  they 
are  purified  by  the  flames  of  the  last  day.] 

It  is  a  painful  consideration,  that  this  subject  is  intimately  con- 
nected with  the  spiritual  welfare  of  our  seamen,  another  class  of 
the  destitute,   who  have,  also,  been  regarded  as  in  a  condition  al- 

*  How  different  the  advertisements  in  some  of  our  Newspapers  and  the  in- 
scriptions on  the  coiners  of  our  streets,  and  sometimes  on  the  fences  which 
surround  our  churches,  from  what  they  will  be  "  in  that  day,"  wheu  "  there 
ihall  he  upon  the  bells  of  the  horses,  holiness  fxto  the  Lord.'" 


54 

most  hopeless.  But,  notwithstanding  this,  and  all  other  unfavour- 
able circumstances,  I  know  of  no  class  of  men,  with  whom  we 
have  greater  encouragement  to  labour.  When  we  consider,  that 
they  are  evidently  vicious,  because  they  have  been  neglected  ; 
when  we  recollect  the  interesting  traits  in  their  character — the 
station  in  which  God  has  placed  them — the  opportunity  of  doing 
good,  which  he  has  put  into  their  hands,  we  must  believe,  that 
there  is  in  store  for  them  a  rich  blessing. 

In  a  former  part  of  this  report,  I  informed  the  society,  that  I 
had,  for  some  time  past,  spent  part  of  the  Sabbath  in  preaching 
to  seamen.  With  gratitude  to  Him,  "  whose  way  is  in  the  sea 
and  whose  path  is  in  the  great  waters,"  it  is  in  my  power  to  state, 
that  my  most  sanguine  expectations  have  been  more  than  realized. 
According  to  a  printed  notice,  put  up  at  some  of  their  boarding 
houses  and  elsewhere,  numbers  of  them  have  attended  ;  and, 
though,  in  consequence  of  their  short  continuance  in  port,  almost 
every  Sabbath  has  presented  me  with  a  new  collection  of  them, 
they  have  universally  behaved  with  the  most  strict  propriety — 
they  have  listened  to  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  with  fixed  atten- 
tion—  many  of  them  have  been  melted  into  tears.  One  circum- 
stance, as  a  testimony  of  their  sensibility  and  their  gratitude, 
ought  not  to  be  omitted.  A  few  Sabbaths  ago,  I  informed  them, 
after  divine  service,  that  it  was  contemplated  to  build  a  church 
and  to  form  a  Bible  Society  for  seamen.*  At  the  bare  mention 
of  this  fact,  many  of  them  wept.  Similar  interest  has  been 
manifested  at  other  times.  Of  those,  who  have  attended 
public  worship,  numbers  have  come  to  my  lodgings  to  inquire, 
apparently  with  deep  concern,  what  they  should  do  to  be 
saved.  Though,  in  consequence  of  their  being  scattered  over 
the  world,  the  effect  of  labours  in  this,  or  in  any  other  ports, 
should  not  be  known,  may  we  not  hope,  that  we  shall  see  many 
of  them  at  the  last  day  on  the  right  hand  of  Christ  ?  May  we 
not  hope,  that  soon,  every  fla^  will  become  a  standard  of  the  cross 
— every  ship  a  temple,  from  which  "incense  and  a  pure  offering" 
shall  ascend  to  God — every  seaman  a  herald  of  salvation  ;  and  that 
this  long  neglected  class  of  men  will  be  eminently  instrumental  in 
hastening  on  that  period,  when  "  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  shall 
cover  the  earth  as  the  waters  do  the  seas?"  The  Son  of  God,  the 
Great  Captain  of  our  salvation,  selected  seamen  to  be  his  imme- 
diate followers,  and  commissioned  them  to  publish  the  gospel  to 
the  gentile  nations. 

There  is  still  stronger  evidence,  that  the  good  work  in  which 
you  are  engaged  will  be  crowned  with  glorious  success.  It  is  a 
work  in  which  our  blessed  Saviour,  while  on  earth,  took  a  parti- 
cular interest — a  work  in  which  he  spent  his  life.  If  he  be  lor 
us,  who  can  be  against  us  ?     But  while  we  thus  deliberate,   me- 

*  Since  the  Bible  Society  was  formed,  a  very  considerable  number  of  sea- 
men have  become  members  of  it,  and  by  it  have  been  supplied  with  Bibles. 


8k 

thinks  I  hear  him  saying,  "  Go  out  quickly  into  the  highways  and 
hedges."  Souls  are  perishing  in  the  midst  of  us.  .  The  work  has 
been  too  long  delayed.  Even  during  the  last  year  more  than 
twenty-seven  hundred  immortal  beings  have  taken  their  departure 
from  this  city  to  the  eternal  world.  Considering  how  comparatively 
small  is  the  number,  who  even  profess  to  know  any  thing  of  ex- 
perimental religion,  and  that  of  these,  many  appear  to  be  dead 
while  they  have  a  name  to  live,  how  many  hundreds  have  descend- 
ed from  the  midst  of  us  to  the  regions  of  despair!  We  must  meet 
them  at  the  bar  of  God.  Let  us  then  work  while  the  day  lasts  ; 
let  us  cry  mightily  unto  God,  to  hasten  the  time  when  "  the  in- 
habitants of  one  city  shall  go  to  another,  saying,  Let  us  go  speedi- 
ly to  pray  before  the  Lord,  and  to  seek  the  Lord  of  hosts." 
Whenever  that  blessed  time  shall  come,  we  are  assured,  that 
'  many  people  and  strong  nations  shall  come  to  seek  the  Lord  of 
hosts  in  Jerusalem,  and  to  pray  before  the  Lord." 


